Does your Outdoor Air Conditioner have a Frozen Pipe?
Suddenly one day, your air conditioner stops blowing cold air into your house. After doing some investigating, you discover that there is ice all over your refrigerant lines. You start wondering whether this is normal or not.
Unfortunately, it is not normal for there to be ice all over your air conditioner. Ice building up on your AC uni can happen if your air conditioning system runs in sub 65-degree weather for any reason. However, for our example, we will say that you are not.
If there is ice building up on the refrigerant lines of your air conditioner, then you could have one of the two following problems.
– Low refrigerant levels
– There is restricted airflow across your evaporator lines
Don’t worry if you aren’t sure what your problem is. We will discuss both of these problems and why they can result in having a frozen air conditioner. Then we will explain what can be done to solve the problem.
Why are my outside Air Conditioner pipes frozen?
When your air conditioner is not taking in enough air, the evaporator coil, which cools the surrounding air, will become too cold. It will end up freezing over eventually.
Here is why: the evaporator coil is an extensive web of refrigerant coils. Inside the coils, there is refrigerant, and it can reach temperatures down to 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit. This is typically enough air to warm the unconditioned air that passes over the coils and prevents ice build-up and frost.
However, when not enough warm air passes over the coils, it can result in the evaporator icing over very fast. The ice will then travel across the refrigerant lines. When the coils are hit by humid air, frost will build even more quickly, which can cause the coils to freeze and condense.
The following problems can cause restricted airflow:
– Closed or blocked vents
– Blower fan problems
– Dirty evaporator coils
– Collapsed air ducts or air duct
– Clogged air filter
What should I do?
– Immediately turn off the thermostat.
– Turn the thermostat setting on and wait three or four hours and then reactivate your AC unit. The fan will run with the ON setting even if your AC unit is not cooling. That will help the air conditioner draw warm air in from your home and thaw out the frozen coils.
– Check the air filters to see if they need to be replaced.
– Check all of the return vents. Be sure that your drapes and household furniture are not blocking them.
Have your air conditioner inspected by a professional air conditioning repair person and have any necessary repairs done to your unit. If you inspected the system for all of the problems discussed above and you have still have not found what is causing your air conditioner to freeze, then have it inspected by a professional. They can check out your system, determine what the problem is, and then make any necessary repairs to solve the problem.
Ice Build-up on an AC Unit caused by Low Refrigerant Levels
Refrigerant is an important chemical used by your air conditioner. It absorbs the heat from inside your house and pushes it outside. However, if refrigerant levels drop below a certain point, then the pressure within the evaporate coils drops also. When the pressure drops, the temperature will also. That will result in ice building up on the AC unit’s evaporator coils.
A refrigerant leak is the only thing that will cause a drop in refrigerant levels in an air conditioner.
The refrigerant is stored inside of a closed-off series of copper coils. Refrigerant does not get used up. So if you have low refrigerant levels, there must be some way for refrigerant to escape. The refrigerant coils may have a hole in them.
The following are telltale signs that you may have a refrigerant leak:
– An abnormally high electric bill
– Warm air flowing out of the vent
– A hissing or bubbling noise over the refrigerant lines
Steps To Take
– Immediately turn off the thermostat
– Turn the thermostat fan on and wait for three or four hours until the system has thawed out
– Contact a professional air conditioner technician to have your AC system if you suspect that your refrigerant coil has a leak. Refrigerant is a very toxic chemical, so only a professional should handle it.
Be wary of any contractor who wants to recharge your system without first fixing the leak. If the leak is not repaired early on, you will end up needing to pay for an additional recharge of refrigerant very soon. This is an expensive procedure.
To get the job done right, call All Time Air Conditioning at (561) 777-9888 today.
We will get it fixed, no matter what type of problem it is, at any time.
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