The summer can get so hot in Crystal and Twin Cities, so how in the world is your air conditioner freezing over? It seems to make no sense. You may not even realize it’s happening. How will you determine if your air conditioner is frozen? It may seem like a silly question, but you typically won’t actually see the ice except in extreme cases. Here are symptoms to monitor for that indicate you could be working with a frozen AC system that could be in need of air conditioning service:
- Warm air is coming out of your registers while the air conditioner is operating.
- Water is leaking from or gathering under your air conditioner.
When we say your home’s air conditioner is frozen, what’s actually frozen is the evaporator coil, which moves heat out of your home to keep it cool. There are two main explanations that an evaporator coil may freeze; one is a refrigerant leak and the other reason is a blockage of airflow.
If your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak, you will want to discuss with your GV Heating & Air technician during your air conditioning service appointment to see if you will benefit more from repairing or replacing your air conditioner. We can help you evaluate the pros and cons using information such as the age of your air conditioner and its service history, as well as other things.
If your air conditioner has frozen as a result of an airflow blockage, it’s because there is not enough air passing over the evaporator coil to dry the condensation that develops on it—then it freezes. Air flow blockages are frequently caused by dirty air filters or even dirty cooling fins. These problems can be remedied (and avoided!) by a routine air conditioner service appointment. At these service sessions, your technician will clean your system, replace your air filters and ensure everything is working as it should with no potential issues on the horizon. It’s also a good idea to mark your calendar or set a reminder on your phone to check your air filters frequently and change your air filters when they are dirty. Always make sure that furniture, curtains and other household items aren’t blocking your registers, as even this could cause a significant airflow problem and the ensuing freezing problems.
If your air conditioner freezes, turn it off using your thermostat and call the experts at GV Heating & Air to schedule an air conditioning service appointment. We’ll help you identify the complications and have your home back to cool and comfortable in no time. Call us at 763-535-2000 to schedule an appointment with us.