Even in a warm climate like Florida, air conditioners can and do freeze up. And it’s always a sign of a problem.
If your air conditioner is frozen or has ice forming on it, here are the top 2 reasons.
Refrigerant is an important part of your air conditioner. It collects the heat in your home and moves it outside.
But over time vibrations and normal wear and tear can lead to refrigerant leaks. This causes your A/C system to work less efficiently and can also cause the air conditioner to freeze. (This is one of the reasons we strongly advocate regular air conditioning maintenance.)
When an air conditioner is low on refrigerant or charged incorrectly, the coils containing the refrigerant get too cold, causing ice to build up on the coils. The problem grows quickly when the air is humid, or the coils are dirty.
How to fix it: Get a professional to inspect your refrigerant charge. If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, get the leak fixed or you’ll end up in the same situation again soon.
The other main cause of an air conditioner freezing up is improper airflow. This basically means that your air conditioner is suffocating and not getting enough air to operate properly.
Insufficient airflow causes the coils to drop below freezing. The humidity in the air then collects on the coils, creating an even greater buildup of ice on your air conditioner.
This is usually a result of a dirty air filter that needs to be replaced but can also be caused by:
How to fix it: Replace your air filter. If you’re still having problems, call a professional air conditioning repair company to take a look.
Cool Today is the air conditioning company homeowners in Florida trust. We serve Sarasota, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Naples, Fort Myers and more with professional air conditioning repair, service and installation. View our full service area.
Posted in: Troubleshooting