If your air conditioner suddenly stops working and you see ice built up on the condenser, you have what is known as a frozen air conditioner. Your air conditioner is meant to be cold – but not that cold! Here's what you need to do when your air conditioner freezes.
Turn off the air conditioner.
If you leave the air conditioner turned "on," as soon as it thaws a little, it will kick back on – and will probably freeze itself again. The only way out of this endless cycle is to turn the unit off until it thaws completely. As it is thawing, you will be working to address the underlying issues that have led to freezing of the unit.
Change the air filter.
To understand why a dirty filter often causes an air conditioner to freeze, you need to understand a little about how air conditioners work. The coils within the condenser become very cold. Air is circulated past them, and the air is cooled. Since the air is "absorbing the cold," under proper conditions, the coils don't become so cold that they freeze. However, when the air filter is dirty, the flow of air becomes inhibited. There is less air to leech the coolness from the coils, so they keep cooling and cooling until they eventually freeze.
Experts recommend changing your air filter every 1 – 3 months, but so many people forget to do this. Buy a stack of filters so you always have them on hand, and set a reminder in your phone so you always remember. Replacing the filter is as simple as sliding the old out of the slot and sliding the new one in.
Open the vents.
If you have a lot of the air vents in your home shut, this can also reduce air flow and cause the AC unit to freeze. Open up your air vents, and make sure they are not blocked by furniture. Also, make sure no furniture is placed over the air returns.
Turn the unit back on.
Once the unit has thawed, turn it back on. If the vents and/or air filter were to blame, you should not have future issues with freezing. However, if the unit does freeze again, there's a good chance there is a blockage in you vents that is inhibiting air flow or an issue with the air circulation within the condenser itself. For more information, contact Hallmark Service Company or a similar organization.
Share19 January 2016
Can furnace repairs be made by the average DIYer? If you know a little about what you are doing, is it possible to avoid the expense of having a professional come out to take care of any problems that you are having? My blog is all about furnace safety and repair. You will learn a few things that you can do on your own and advice for when to call in the professional repair technician to assist with the repairs. By the time you reach the end, you will have a better understanding of what you can and should not do on your own.
