Your air conditioner system works through the refined control of airflow, pressure, and temperature. If any of these factors become unbalanced, the refrigerant system that creates the cold air may overclock, causing it to freeze. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make things cooler.
If your AC is frozen, it will either blow warm air or nothing. When this happens, you may wonder why. Keep reading for the answer to this question.
Lack of Airflow
The most common reason your AC unit will freeze up is because of a lack of airflow. This can be caused by several malfunctions, ranging from the air intake to the blower motor. If something in the airflow system stops warm air from moving over the coils and the compressor keeps running, the AC will begin to freeze. As time passes, this issue will only get worse.
Dust Blocking the Coils
If you run your unit without an air filter, a low-quality air filter, or if you never change your filter, these are all risks. The refrigerant coils in your air conditioner are usually damp because of moist air that condenses on the cold surface. If dusty air moves past the damp coils, it will begin to accumulate and create a thick blanket of dust. This “blanket” then acts as an insulator, and traps the cold inside the coils, creating the perfect conditions for the unit to freeze.
Low Refrigerant Levels
The amount of refrigerant inside the coils of your air conditioner has to be considered. That is because this is how it regulates the pressure. Have you ever wondered why the unit outside is called the compressor? It is compressing refrigerant after it releases the heat that is collected. Warm air converts or “flashes” the liquid refrigerant into gas form, which heats up and drops the pressure. At this point, the compressor then compresses it back into liquid form and moves it to the blower fan inside your house.
However, if the refrigerant levels are low, the “flashing” effect will occur too early because of the lack of pressure. This flashing process will create enough cold in that specific moment to condense moisture on the coils, which causes it to freeze instantly. The more the flashing occurs early, the more ice will develop until it has filled the AC and begun to creep up the unit’s copper pipes.
How to Handle Ice on the Outside Unit
Do you know what to do if your AC has started to blow warm air, and ice is building up close to the outdoor unit? Or, if you see ice on or around any AC component?
The first step in these situations is to turn your thermostat up. You have to stop asking for the cold air that isn’t being produced. While the unit is off, leave your fan on. This airflow can begin melting the ice and reducing the issues.
The last step is to call an AC repair service. They can determine the underlying issue to ensure the problem is fixed.