Troubleshooting a Frozen Air Conditioning Unit

Troubleshooting a Frozen Air Conditioning Unit

Are you experiencing issues with your air conditioning unit when you need it most? Have you observed your unit being frozen, leaky, or icy? Our team can help you. We work with home and business owners to troubleshoot their frozen air conditioning unit so they can restore their ability to cool their space efficiently. Read below to learn more about why your air conditioner is doing this and then give us a call for AC repair in your area.

How to Tell if Your Air Conditioner Is Frozen

  • Feel the air coming out of the supply registers. If it feels warm, the evaporator coils may be iced over.
  • Turn off the air conditioner and open the access panel to the evaporator. The panel is located in different spots for different manufacturers, but are typically near the furnace system inside the home. Small hex-head screws hold the panel in place . In severe cases, the ice may be visible outside the unit.
  • Examine the copper coils. If they are encased in ice, the air conditioner is frozen. Do not attempt to clear the ice by hand. That could damage the air conditioner’s components.
  • Check the filters located either in the air conditioner’s plenum, or at the cold air return grate for the home. If the filters are dirty, replace them.
  • Look at the coils as well as the cooling fins around the evaporator. If they are coated with dirt, clean them using a soft plastic brush, such as a toothbrush, and a light touch. The fins may bend with too much pressure.
  • Make sure all the air conditioning supply registers are open in each room the unit supplies with cold air. Blocked registers restrict air flow, which causes the temperature inside the evaporator to increase.
  • Time the air conditioner cycle once it has thawed and you’ve turned the unit back on. It will cycle for a long time until the house reaches the thermostat setting, but should then shut off. If the unit continues to run, the electrical contactor in the outside portion of the unit may be damaged or its fuse may have blown. Call an HVAC service person to check the unit and make repairs.
  • Call an HVAC service person after you’ve checked all the registers, coils, and filters. The unit may be leaking refrigerant, the replacement of which must be performed by a licensed repair person.

Call Our HVAC Professionals if Your Air Conditioner Freezes

The HVAC technicians at Autumn Mechanical have decades of experience working with air conditioning units that are failing to perform effectively. We fix the problem whether it is a frozen AC unit, a busted refrigerant line, dirty air filters, or another problem causing your air conditioning unit to freeze.

Causes of frozen evaporator coil in AC:

Dirty coils: AC units typically draw in household dust. Air filters are the first line of defense, but not all the dust is captured. Dirty coils can cause airflow restrictions, leading to an AC freezing.

Clogged air filters: Failing to clean or replace your air filters will end up blocking the flow of warm air from your house into the AC unit. Regularly inspecting your air filters and keeping them clean is one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of an AC frozen over.

Damaged blower fan: If the fan that keeps air moving from the house to the coils malfunctions or stops working altogether, your system’s temperature will drop, allowing the coil to freeze up.

Collapsed air ducts: If an air duct is collapsed or blocked, the airflow will be interrupted.

Clogged condensation lines: AC coils frozen can be caused by a blocked condensation/drain line. If the water collected from condensation cannot escape due to a clog, the moisture could become trapped near the evaporator coil and freeze over.

Low refrigerant: If refrigerant, or coolant, is leaking and the level becomes low, the refrigerant is less pressurized, often contributing to a frozen AC.

Affordable HVAC Services Near Me

Autumn Mechanical — formerly Autumn Air delivers a single-point resource for mechanical contracting and service. Based in Spring, TX, Autumn Mechanical specializes in HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration services. Serving customers in Houston, Dallas, and surrounding areas, our professional technicians serve with expertise and integrity.

With over 30 years of experience in the air conditioning and heating business, the team at Autumn Mechanical has built a trusted reputation throughout the communities of Houston. Our air conditioning services include, but are not limited to, residential/commercial AC and heating, repair, service, installation, maintenance, and heat pump equipment repair.

Whenever you are looking for high-quality air conditioning and heating services at a day affordable price, we can help! We service and replace both commercial and residential HVAC systems in order to bring you the ultimate climate control. Autumn Mechanical proudly serves the Greater Houston area, including Briarpark, Midtown, Sugar Land, Cypress, Pearland, The West University Place, The Heights, Spring, Willowbrook, Houston,Spring Branch, and The Woodlands. Don’t hesitate, give us a call today to find out what we can do for your home or business.

 

Autumn Mechanical
18812 Tomato St.
Spring, TX 77379
(713) 864-8368
View our Google Business Listing
View our Facebook Page

JOIN THE CONVERSATION