Easy Steps for Fixing a Frozen Air Conditioner

Does the air coming from your supply registers suddenly feel warm? Inspect the indoor portion of your air conditioner. This component is housed in your furnace or air handler, if you have a heat pump. If there’s water leaking onto the floor, there could be ice on the evaporator coil. The AC coil inside the system might have frosted over. You’ll need to defrost it before it can cool your residence again.

Here’s the steps you should take. If you can’t get the coil frost-free, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to help with air conditioning repair in the U.S. backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.*

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

To get started—move the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This prevents cold refrigerant from going to the outdoor compressor, which could damage it and result in a costly repair.

Next, switch the fan from “auto” to “on.” This produces warm airflow over the frosty coils to force them to thaw faster. Remember to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t start a cooling cycle.

It could take under an hour or the better part of a day for the ice to defrost, depending on the level of the accumulation. While you’re waiting, watch the condensate pan under the AC unit. If the drain line is clogged, it might cause a mess as the ice melts, possibly resulting in water damage.

Step 2: Pinpoint the Problem

Bad airflow is a main explanation for an AC to freeze up. Here’s how to get to the bottom of the issue:

• • Look at the filter. Poor airflow through a dusty filter could be the problem. Inspect and change the filter each month or immediately when you see a layer of dust.

• • Open any sealed supply vents. Your residence’s supply registers should be open always. Closing vents decreases airflow over the evaporator coil, which could lead it to freeze.

• • Be on the lookout for blocked return vents. These often don’t have shiftable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still cover them.

• • Not enough refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most frequent suspect, your system might also have insufficient refrigerant. Depending on when it was installed, it may rely on Freon®. Low refrigerant calls for skilled attention from a certified HVAC tech. H2: Step 3: Call an HVAC Tech at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

If inadequate airflow doesn’t appear to be the trouble, then another issue is causing your AC frost over. If this is what’s going on, simply defrosting it won’t fix the issue. The evaporator coil will possibly keep freezing unless you repair the main cause. Call an HVAC technician to look for issues with your air conditioner, which may include:

• • Refrigerant leak: AC units continuously use refrigerant, so it shouldn’t run out. Low refrigerant is a sign of a leak somewhere. Only a tech can find the leak, repair it, and recharge the air conditioning to the proper level.

• • Grimy evaporator coil: If grime accumulates on the coil, air can’t flow over it, and it’s likely to freeze.

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

When your AC freezes up, get in touch with the ACE-certified techs at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to fix the situation. We have lots of experience helping homeowners troubleshoot their air conditioners, and we’re confident we can get things running again quickly. Contact us at 866-397-3787 to schedule air conditioning repair in the U.S. with us right away.