The summer can get extremely hot in Arlington, so how in the world is the air conditioner freezing over? It seems to make no sense. You may not even realize it’s taking place. How will you notice if your air conditioner is frozen? It may seem like a silly question, but you generally won’t actually see the ice except in extreme cases. Here are symptoms to monitor for that indicate you could be dealing 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 running.
- Water is leaking from or gathering under your air conditioner.
When we say the 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 causes 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 Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning 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 weigh the pros and cons using background such as the age of your air conditioner and its service history, among other things.
If your air conditioner has frozen as a result of an airflow blockage, it’s because there is a lack of air passing over the evaporator coil to dry the condensation that builds up on it—then it freezes. Air flow blockages are frequently caused by dirty air filters or even dirty cooling fins. These problems can be fixed (and avoided!) by a routine air conditioner service appointment. At these service sessions, your technician will clean your system, replace your air filters and confirm everything is operating as it should with no potential challenges 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 check that furniture, curtains and other household items aren’t blocking your registers, as even this could cause a large airflow problem and the following freezing problems.
If your air conditioner freezes, turn it off using your thermostat and call the pros at Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule an air conditioning service appointment. We’ll help you identify the issue and have your home back to cool and comfortable as soon as possible. Call us at 360-255-5857 to book an appointment with us.