Simple Steps for Repairing a Frozen Air Conditioner

Does the air flowing from your supply registers suddenly appear hot? Look at the indoor part of your air conditioner. This piece is situated within your furnace or air handler, if you use a heat pump. If there’s water dripping onto the floor, there might be crystals on the evaporator coil. The AC coil within the equipment might have frosted over. You’ll need to thaw it before it can cool your home again.

Here’s the steps you should take. If you can’t get the coil back to normal, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to support you with air conditioning repair in the U.S. that includes a a 100% satisfaction guarantee.*

Step 1: Turn the Air Conditioning Off and the Blower On

To get started—switch the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This stops cold refrigerant from going to the outdoor compressor, which could hurt it and lead to a costly repair.

Then, switch the fan from “auto” to “on.” This makes heated airflow over the frosty coils to help them thaw faster. Double check to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t trigger a cooling cycle.

It can take not more than an hour or most of the day for the ice to melt, depending on the degree of the accumulation. While you’re waiting, watch the condensate pan below the AC unit. If the drain line is obstructed, it may cause a mess as the ice melts, likely causing water damage.

Step 2: Troubleshoot the Issue

Insufficient airflow is a leading reason for an AC to freeze up. Here’s how to get to the bottom of the issue:

• • Inspect the filter. Poor airflow through a filthy filter could be to blame. Inspect and change the filter once a month or immediately when you see a layer of dust.

• • Open any sealed supply vents. Your home’s supply registers should stay open constantly. Sealing vents reduces airflow over the evaporator coil, which can cause it to freeze.

• • Look for obstructed return vents. These typically don’t come with shiftable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still block them.

• • Insufficient refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most frequent suspect, your air conditioning could also not have enough refrigerant. Depending on when it was installed, it may use Freon®. Not enough refrigerant requires skilled help from a certified HVAC tech. H2: Step 3: Get in Touch with an HVAC Specialist at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

If poor airflow doesn’t seem to be the trouble, then another issue is making your AC frost over. If this is what’s happening, simply defrosting it won’t fix the issue. The evaporator coil will possibly keep freezing unless you take care of the main problem. Get in touch with an HVAC tech to look for troubles with your air conditioner, which might include:

• • Refrigerant leak: AC units continuously use refrigerant, so it shouldn’t get used up. Not enough refrigerant is a sign of a leak somewhere. Only a tech can locate the leak, fix it, and recharge the air conditioning to the correct amount.

• • Filthy evaporator coil: If grime builds up on the coil, air can’t flow over it, and it’s apt to freeze.

• • Broken blower: A broken motor or unbalanced fan could halt airflow over the evaporator coil.

The next time your AC freezes up, contact the ACE-certified techs at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to take care of the situation. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners check their air conditioners, and we’re confident we can get things working again quickly. Contact us at 866-397-3787 to get air conditioning repair in the U.S. with us today.