20,317 posts, read 15,073,405 times 25,901 posts, read 21,074,479 times 3,750 posts, read 15,267,568 times 33,571 posts, read 32,296,961 times When a central air conditioner freezes up, what actually freezes is the condensor unit's evaporator coil. This is the part of the air conditioning system that transfers (evaporates) heat from the inside to the outside of the home. There are two primary reasons the evaporator coil may freeze, it can either be due to 1) restricted air flow, or 2) lack of sufficient refrigerant. Either way, the result is that the air conditioner's evaporator coil cannot operate to properly dissipate heat, and in effect 'overcools' itself. The result of this super-cooling is condensation (that's water formation), and eventually ice from that condensation as it cools below the freezing point. Yep, the A/C just turned into an old-school icebox. Basic Tips for AC Repair and Maintenance Originally Posted by Barking Spider Filter is brand new.

he checked air flow and temp conversion etc. The unit is 12 years old and never used hard. I never have my temp below 76 in the summer. Input and out put lines also freeze so does the tank inside the unit out side. Its a carrier high eff. 13,813 posts, read 38,731,641 times Originally Posted by AksarbeN What ever he did seems to have made it worse. 2,322 posts, read 2,396,739 times Originally Posted by tinman01 Well contact him to return and 1. either fix it properly or 2. you will have someone else do it and he will eat cost of the service if it is determined that his initial work, indeed made things worse. 222 posts, read 301,003 times inexpensive fiberglass filtershigh dollar thick filters restrict too much air flow A properly functioning air conditioning unit will cause condensation to occur during the cooling process. But when other factors interfere with normal activity, the temperature can drop and cause the condensation to freeze.

There are a few reasons why your evaporator coils are freezing, which include restricted airflow, issues during the heat exchange process and even electrical problems. However, these are common issues that can result from a number of underlying complications. It’s hot outside but my air conditioner coils are frozen. What can I do? Gainesville A/C Emergency Services: Frozen Evaporator Coils If you’ve noticed that your air conditioner coils are freezing, then it’s time to call LIBERTYAIR to identify the issue and repair the problem. slimline wall mounted air conditioning unitsWe advise that you shut off the air conditioner to avoid damaging the unit. pop up camper ac drainThis also allows the coils to defrost so our technicians can find the root of the problem more quickly.mr. slim air conditioning units

Homeowners who pride themselves in being handy around the house may want to investigate their air conditioners before calling us. There are a few simple steps you can take to help identify the problem before you give us a call.Take these steps before you call LIBERTYAIR: Turn off the air conditioner and allow the frozen coils to defrost. Remove the filter and replace it if it’s dirty. Once the coils have defrosted, check to see if they are abnormally dirty. Check the strength of the batteries in your thermostat. Malfunctioning thermostats are often an underlying cause of frozen coils. Turn the air conditioner on and observe the airflow in each room, noting where air pressure feels weak, nonexistent or too warm. If ice has accumulated on the coils again, turn off the air conditioner and call . Once your air conditioner is up and running, you’ll want to schedule regular maintenance appointments with LIBERTYAIR to prevent the coils from freezing in the future.

Spring is a great time to schedule coil maintenance to ensure your air conditioner works well all summer long. Many units can gather dirt and grime during the winter, and it’s always a good idea to check the air conditioning filter before turning the unit on for the first time after several weeks. During our air conditioner service call, we can check the health of the coils as well as refrigerants, blowers and the overall functionality of the appliance. An simple and affordable planned maintenance appointment can increase the lifespan of your air conditioner. Should I call for an emergency A/C repair? If you’re experiencing frozen evaporator coils, it’s a good idea to call a professional, especially if the coils are dirty or if they have not been maintenanced recently. At LIBERTYAIR, our cooling professionals provide coil cleaning, refrigerant filling and repairs, and overall inspections to get your cooling unit running properly. We’re available 24 hours a day, Monday through Saturday, and we never charge an overtime fee.

You can count on LIBERTYAIR, day or night, for your frozen coil emergencies.There are a variety of things that can cause air conditioning freezing. The first thing to do is see if the indoor (evaporator-air handler) fan and compressor are both running at the same time, then turn the unit off and let all the ice melt. If the compressor is running and the evaporator fan isn't, you've already found the main cause of your air conditioning freezing problem. The indoor coil will freeze up if the compressor runs without the evaporator fan running. Check to see if ice has built up enough to stop the fan. If it has, (and it's possible with wall mounted ductless mini split units and some window units), the fan may run normally once the ice melts, and the cause of your air conditioning freezing problem could be something else. If you are the equipment owner trying to take care of this air conditioning freezing problem yourself, and you get to the point that you have to call in a technician, it could save him time, (which saves you money) if you have already verified whether the evaporator fan was or wasn't running with the compressor, and if ice had built up enough to stop the fan.

Once the ice has melted, check the fan or blower blades, and see if they're clean and not obstructed by something like a plastic bag, other debris, or mould growth. Remove any obstructions, and if necessary, remove the blower and clean it. Before tearing into the rest of the unit, check the thermostat and make sure it's working right. Do the cool contacts open when the t-stat is turned up to a higher temp than the room temp? If not, the thermostat has failed, and never turns the unit off, which can definitely cause an air conditioning freezing problem. Do the fan contacts open and close when the thermostat setting is turned higher and lower than the room temperature? If the fan contacts never close but the cool contacts do, the thermostat has failed and caused your air conditioning freezing problem. If the fan contacts close, but the fan doesn't run, check the fan relay in the air handler. If the fan relay is not getting control voltage, the circuit is open between the thermostat and the fan relay.

Look for a loose connection, wrong connection, dis-connection, or broken wire. If it gets control voltage but doesn't energize, it has failed, and must be replaced. If it energizes but the fan doesn't run, check for line voltage on the load side of the relay. If there is line voltage on the load side of the relay and the fan doesn't run, you'll have to troubleshoot the load side circuit and the fan motor as detailed further on. If the thermostat checks out ok, set the thermostat to "fan on" and make sure the blower runs in the correct direction and at the proper RPM, that it is installed in the housing correctly, and is the right size. If the blower is installed backwards or is running in reverse, the coil can freeze up. (Although I have seen several units that didn't freeze up with reversed blowers.) You will need to turn the blower around, reverse the rotation of the motor if it is a reversible rotation motor, or install a motor with the correct rotation.

A blower that runs too slow can cause an air conditioning freezing problem. You'll need to install a motor that runs at the correct speed. A blower that is too small, or that is installed in the housing incorrectly, can cause an air conditioning freezing problem. You will need to install the correct size blower, and be sure it is installed correctly in the housing. This means centered, with volutes installed, and the curve of the vanes matching the outlet of the housing. If the blower motor is the wrong size, if the bearings are failing, or if it has an open start winding or a failed run capacitor, it could be overheating and stopping intermittently. A motor that is overheating and stopping intermittently can cause an air conditioning freezing problem. To check out the evaporator fan motor: Check the resistance readings of the motor windings. If you get a readable resistance between all three windings, the motor windings should be ok.If it turns free and easy, the bearings should be ok.

If the shaft is hard to turn, lube the bearings with 20 SAE electric motor oil if there are lube ports. If that frees the shaft, it should run ok for a while, but the bearings or bushings may be deteriorated to the point that they'll sieze again soon. If the shaft doesn't free up, replace the motor. If the shaft turns freely, check the capacitor. The best way to check the capacitor is to replace it with a new one of the correct rating. If the motor runs, close the air handler panels, and take an amp draw on the motor. If it's normal it should run OK, and if the motor was the problem, your air conditioning freezing problem should stop. Ok, if you've verified that the controls and fan are good, take a break for a diet soda, and then we'll see if the evaporator coil or ducting are the cause of your air conditioning freezing problem. Take a look at the evaporator coil.Can you see your flashlight shining through from the other side? If the coil's dirty, you'll have to do some

air conditioning coil cleaning. If your air conditioner is a window type, our page about how to clean window air conditioners has some pointers you might find useful. A dirty evaporator coil is a common cause of air conditioning freezing, And it's one of the problems that can be prevented with regularly scheduled If the coil is clean, check the ducting to make sure nothing is blocking air flow. Blocked ducting will stop air flow through the evaporator coil, and this will cause the coil to freeze up. If your coil is clean and the ducting is clear, let's run the unit and check the operating pressures and temperatures. If your discharge and suction pressures are low, with a low compressor amp draw, low subcooling, high superheat, and low temperature splits accross your evaporator and condenser coils, you probably have a leak. Shut the unit down, find the leak and repair it. Once the leak is found and/or repaired and you're ready to run the unit, our

Charging Air Conditioning Systems page offers some tips that you might find helpful. If you are totally unable to locate the leak with a bubble solution or electronic detector, you'll have to charge in refrigerant to correct pressures, temperatures, and superheat and subcooling values, and it would be a good idea to add some air conditioning leak detector dye so the leak can be found later on. You have to use some common sense about leaks. If the leak is so small that you can't find oil or any other sign; unless the customer agrees to pay you for all the time you spend, it's more cost effective to charge in the small amount of refrigerant it will take to get the unit running correctly, finish the service call, and be on your way. I can't imagine that there's a service technician out there who hasn't run into the same problem many times. Use some common sense, be up front with your customer, and if you've done your best not only to find the leak, but to get the unit running right and save your customer unnecessary expense, consider it a job well done.