Two Things To Try When Your Central Air Conditioning Unit Keeps Freezing Up

After noticing that your house is warm, you may have inspected your air conditioning (AC) unit only to find ice formations on top of the unit. After you have turned off the unit and allowed the ice to melt, try one or more of the following to try to find a simple solution to possible problems that may be making your air conditioner freeze up.

1.  Check the Evaporator Coil for Dirt

Once the ice has cleared away from the top of the AC unit, look down inside the opening so you can take a look at the evaporator coil. As part of the closed system through which the coolant flows, these coils dissipate heat to keep the interior of the air conditioner cool.

However, if dust and dirt become caked on these coils, they are unable to do their job. Heat will build up inside of the unit. As a result, the air conditioner will work harder to produce cool air, causing the system to freeze up.

If you do see that the coils are dirty, you can try to clean them yourself by turning off the power to the AC unit, removing the evaporator coils, and gently rinsing them in water. However, if you are not comfortable with doing this yourself, you should have a professional clean the coils for you.

2.  Change the Air Filter

Another potential problem that may be causing your unit to freeze up is that the air filter has become clogged up. When the holes in the filter are filled with dust and dirt, the cold air is unable to fully flow out of the unit.

Because the air becomes trapped, the icy temperatures will freeze up any moisture inside of the unit. This frozen condensation keeps building up until the coils, condenser, and possibly even the fan freeze up.

Even if you do not see any obvious signs of dirt on the filter, change it anyway in case there is debris clogging it up that you cannot see. If the unit freezes up again, however, there could another problem for which you need a repair service.

If you have taken the above action and still find that your AC unit freezes up, there may be a more serious issue, such as a refrigerant leak or failing blower motor. Contact an air conditioning company to have them take a look at your unit and make any necessary repairs.

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