If you’ve noticed ice building up around the parts of your air conditioner, you may be wondering how this is even possible, especially during the hot summer months. Ice on your AC unit often occurs because of low refrigerant levels or restricted airflow. When you notice this ice buildup, you’ll want to turn the system off and contact a professional HVAC contractor to solve the problem and repair any damages. If you ignore your frozen AC unit, it will become less and less efficient, driving up your monthly utility bills.
Save your money and protect your HVAC system from damages by getting to the bottom of why your AC is freezing up. Familiarize yourself with these two reasons for ice forming around your air conditioner and determine if you need an AC repair in Morris County, NJ.
Low Refrigerant Levels
One of the most common reasons ice forms on your AC unit is because there’s a refrigerant leak. This leak allows refrigerant to escape, which lowers the pressure and, therefore, the temperature inside the system. Ice then subsequently forms on the evaporator coil. To fix this problem, you will need to call an HVAC professional to repair the refrigerant line and recharge the coolant.
Poor Airflow
Air conditioning systems depend on the free flow of air to function properly. Poor airflow causes the temperature in the system to drop, which results in the AC freezing up. Two common reasons airflow is restricted are dirty evaporator coils and dirty air filters.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
If you do not regularly clean the evaporator coil, it could become clogged and prevent air from flowing throughout the system. This restricted airflow causes ice to form on the air conditioner. As soon as you notice frost on the evaporator coil, shut the AC system down until it is cleaned or replaced by a professional.
Dirty Air Filter
It’s no surprise that a dirty filter prevents a sufficient amount of air from flowing through the system. If ice has built up on your AC, turn the system off and inspect the air filter. Replace it if it’s dirty and wait for the ice to melt completely off the unit before turning it on again. If this doesn’t fix the issue and ice forms once again, get in touch with an HVAC expert to find the root of the problem.
Fixing a Frozen AC Unit
Pinpointing the reason there is ice around your AC unit can be challenging on your own. At All Time HVAC, we make it easy. Our experts can quickly find the problem, remove the ice, and perform any repairs or replacements so you can get back to enjoying a cool summer.
For more information about our AC repair services or HVAC equipment installation services, reach out to us today.
