What Causes an AC to Freeze?

How can you tell your conditioner has frozen without you detecting the ice? Well, every time you place your hand over the supply register, you’ll feel minimal airflow. Fortunately, that is not the end of the road for the unit, and it is relatively easy to solve this problem.  But before we discuss what you can do when your AC freezes, it’s essential to know what causes the concern in the first place. Here are some of the reasons why your AC often freezes up.

What Causes an AC to Freeze?

1. Poor Airflow

When your AC lacks sufficient air, the system won’t have enough heat to prevent the coil from freezing up. Thus, you need to ensure that the air filters are always in top-notch condition. Conversely, if the problem persists even after you’ve cleaned the air filters, then, the reason behind this issue might be poor airflow. For that reason, you need to check all your air vents to ascertain they have proper airflow. Besides, you also need to look out for closed dampers or blocked ducts.

2. Faulty Blower Fan

If your AC has a malfunctioning blower fan, then it is more likely to freeze up. Often, when the air inside your AC stops flowing the unit freezes. A blower fan basically works by eliminating hot air from the unit, with cold air, in turn, moving in to replace it.

What Can You Do Once Your Air Conditioner Freezes Up?

After noticing that your AC has frozen up, you need to turn the unit off immediately to prevent frost from forming. However, if the condition is severe, you may have to turn on the thermostat to increase the thawing process. In the meantime, you’ll also need to keep a close eye on changes in water levels in your unit. Ultimately, when water overflows to the evaporator coil, your AC is highly likely to get damaged.

How efficiently your air conditioner performs depends on the perfect balance between air pressure and optimal airflow. If you pinpoint these concerns early enough, then you can correct the problem yourself. But if the problem is of a significant scale, then you can contact us to get an expert opinion.