Why Does Your Air Conditioner Freeze Up?

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With summer drawing near, one thing for certain is air conditioning units around Central Texas will be running full blast. Some of the unfortunate people experiencing nice, cool A/C in their home will experience a rather unfortunate scenario:

They may be relaxing watching a movie, cleaning the house, or any number of other indoor activities, when they see a leak dripping from the ceiling and a puddle forming below. It’s natural to panic, as that’s never a good sign. What could it be? A leaking shower? Leaky faucet? It could be any number of things! However, there’s often a common culprit: a frozen air conditioner.

There’s a coil, called the evaporator coil, inside the a/c unit that is susceptible to freezing. If the coil freezes, it can be because there isn’t enough refrigerant, or there could be a problem with the airflow.

In either of these scenarios, the unit is unable to transfer heat as it should, so ice begins to form from the built-up condensation. As you’ve probably guessed, this isn’t a good thing, so it’s important to react as soon as possible.

What To Do When The A/C Freezes?

The first step is to shut the whole thing down. Go to the thermostat and switch it to off. People mistakenly think that cranking the heat will melt the ice and get everything running smoothly, but that’s not a good solution.

Be sure that air can flow properly through the system. If you haven’t changed your filters in a while, now’s the time.

Then, give AirOne Heating and Air Conditioning a call. You’ll want a professional to come look things over for any damage or leaks that may need to be repaired. No matter what is causing the ice buildup, our experienced technicians can help you get it sorted so you can enjoy your air conditioner again. No one likes suffering through Texas heat waves, and the sooner you act, the sooner your home will be comfortable again.

Once again, if your air conditioner freezes or malfunctions in any way, act quickly and call a company you can count on. At AirOne Heating and Air Conditioning, we pride ourselves on being professional, courteous, and thorough; we want you to count on us!