Why Is Your AC Freezing?
Hands down, one of the most common questions we get here at Arctic Air Conditioning has to be why is my air conditioner freezing up? First off, good question! Secondly, there are actually a number of possible causes for AC units to freeze. A few are simple, quick, and an easy fix, but some of them definitely call for some professional attention.
Why Is My AC Frozen?
Without getting too complicated (trust us, it can get too complicated surprisingly fast), it most often boils down to one of two things.
Bad Or Improper Air Flow
Air conditioning units rely on a certain amount of free air flow to work. If the air flow that runs across your cooling coil is poor, it messes up the pressure in your unit, resulting in rapid temperature drops inside of the machine. Eventually, this internal cooling process will result in the unit freezing. Loads of issues can cause this, some common and easy, and others a bit more involved:
- A dirty air filter (one of the most common causes of a freezing unit and easy to fix)
- Dirty or clogged evaporator coil
- Damage to the blower motor (something a professional will need to handle, though it’s often easy to spot)
- Vents blocked or closed within your home (if too much air is prevented from flowing into your home, it restricts the unit’s effectiveness and can lead to a freeze)
Low Refrigerant
This one kind of sounds funny, right? But, in actuality, when your unit lacks refrigerant, it continues to make the same demands of itself as before. This results in the pressure dropping in your unit, plummeting the temperature until the point of freezing over. Refrigerant issues always call for professional assistance, as the substance requires expert care.
Uncommon Issues
There are some occasional other causes. If your unit is being run when the weather is too cool outside, it has a small potential of freezing the unit. And, of course, there is a slew of mechanical issues including clogged lines, damaged fans, and incorrectly sized parts (or units!).
Air Conditioner Repair & Replacement in Central New Jersey
Hopefully next time you find yourself asking “Why is my air conditioner freezing up?” you’ll have a better idea of what to look for and how to address the issue. The professionals at Arctic Air Conditioning are ready and waiting on you for all of your repair and replacement needs.
