What to Do If Your AC Freezes
Are you stuck with a frozen AC or wondering what to do when it happens to you? Such circumstances are bizarre but common. It would be best to not freak out when it happens because you can perform a few DIY procedures to restore the unit.
Switch The Thermostat Setting from Cool to Off
Having ice on your AC is an indication that the refrigerant, the liquid responsible for the cooling effect, is too cold to perform its duties. If the system sent that cold refrigerant to the outdoor unit, it could damage your compressor-compressors must only receive refrigerants in superheated gas form.
Switching the thermostat OFF stops the AC from sending the cold liquid to the compressor, thus protecting it.
Turn The Fan ON
Turning the fan setting ON forces the AC fan to blow warm air over the frozen coils and helps the ice thaw quicker.
Never turn the fan to AUTO setting in such a situation. The Auto setting only runs the blower motor in a cooling cycle. Plus, remember you earlier turned your thermostat from COOLIN to OFF, meaning the system won’t be going through any cooling cycle.
The AC blower sucks warm air from your house then blows it over the refrigerant coils and the evaporator. The process may take between one to twenty-four hours, depending on the extent of the ice accumulation.
While the ice Is melting, the drain pan may overflow. You may want to put a towel below your indoor AC unit to soak any leaking water.
Check The AC Air Filter And Replace It, If Necessary
Dirty or clogged air filters are the primary culprits behind most frozen filters. So you must check the filters as you wait for your AC to thaw out.
It would help if you did this as soon as you switch the thermostat OFF. Waiting longer could allow enough time for the ice to melt onto the filter to form a dirty puddle.
Change your filter immediately if you find it clogged or dirty. Any thin layer of dirt or debris on your filter could expose your AC to serious problems, so you must change it even with the slightest indication of dirt.
A dirty filter will suffocate your AC, depriving it of enough warmth. When this happens, the evaporator coils will not get enough air making the refrigerant colder and colder and cause freezing.
Even after replacing the filters, you will still need to give the ice some time to thaw out. Once the AC is unfrozen, turn the AC setting back ON and run it usually, keeping an eye on the unit for a few days.
Call The Professional
If the above procedures do not work, the problem could be beyond your skills. We recommend you call a professional right away. If your air filter is clean, the problem could originate from a leaking refrigerant, dirty evaporator coil, collapsed duct, or a damaged blower motor.
Professionals have the expertise to examine your system and determine the primary cause of the issue. They will fix it and leave you with a fully functional AC. Doing trial and error yourself may damage your unit further.
Absolute Air offers a wide array of services, including, but not limited to, AC installation, AC repair, heating installation, heating repair, metal fabrication (for all types of ductwork), refrigeration, and gas line installation. Our trained team of technicians can also service and work on equipment brands such as American Standard, Train, Carrier, York, Goodman, Rudd, and Mitsubishi, to name a few.
If you have a service request not mentioned here, give us a call.
