Frozen-ACThere are a lot of different problems your air conditioner might run into over the course of the next few months. One of the more unusual ones, though, is the system apparently freezing over in the middle of a hot day. While it may seem like a good thing to see ice on your air conditioner when it’s running, it’s actually a serious problem that can cause the system to break down. Read on to find out why this actually happens, and what you should do to address it.

What Causes Frozen Air Conditioner Coils

If your air conditioner has ice on it, it means that the evaporator coil has frozen over. This often happens because people forget to change their air filter often enough. The air filter becomes clogged, cutting off the flow of warm air over the evaporator coil while the air conditioner is operating. Without warm air constantly flowing in from the ducts, the temperature around the coil will eventually drop below freezing. This will cause the condensate that forms as a natural byproduct of the coil’s operation to freeze, which is what ices over the coil.

The problem with this is that while frozen, the coil has no access to the air around it from which to siphon heat. That means that the air conditioner is essentially unable to properly cool the home. The longer the coil remains frozen, the greater the chances that the system will develop other issues and break down. This is why you need to act as soon as you notice ice forming on your air conditioner coil. It will only get worse the longer it goes without being addressed.

What to Do About It

The first thing you need to do when you notice that your air conditioner is frozen over is call for repairs. If the coil is already frozen, there’s nothing you can do to resolve the issue on your own. You’ll need to have a professional take care of it for you. If you want to prevent this from happening in the future, though, there’s something you can do.

Make sure that you change out your air filter every three months or so while you’re using the system. This is the single best thing you can do to make sure that your air conditioner doesn’t freeze over when you need it the most. There are certain other issues that can cause it to happen, like the air handler breaking down. Honestly, though, the chances of that happening are much lower than the air filter clogging if it’s left alone. If you follow these steps, you shouldn’t have to worry about your air conditioner freezing over during the summer. As always, though, you should consult with a professional technician regarding other tips on keeping your air conditioner healthy.

Climate Control Heating & Cooling provides a full range of air conditioning repair services in Independence, MO. If you need help with your air conditioner, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians.