Indoor air conditioner units are often part of a switch-unit with a built-in furnace. In ideal operation conditions, an air conditioner unit produces a constant flow of cool air to the home. The air is cooled via a refrigerant agent known as coolant, which is pumped through the unit through a system of tubes and pipes. When the unit is functioning properly, there is no build up or accumulation, but there are issues which can crop up that lead to the unit building up ice and freezing as opposed to cooling the home. Filters Air conditioners and furnaces rely on airflow to push the air through the vents that cool and heat a home. In both cases, the filters on the outside of the unit are there to ensure proper airflow and restrict debris from entering the unit. If these filters ever become blocked, the restricted airflow leads to ice building up inside of the air conditioner because it isn’t being cycled out into the vents fast enough. The longer this goes on, the more ice that builds up, until the point the unit completely freezes.

For best results, always clean the air filters every few months. Evaporator Coils Evaporator coils in an air conditioner are there to help with heat exchange, absorbing heat that needs to be cooled down. The evaporator coils are filled with the coolant from the air conditioner, and cool the air that passes through. Over time, these coils collect dust and debris just like the air filters. As this debris builds up, the effectiveness of the unit is compromised. Over time as more dirt accumulates, the coils no longer function properly, and rather than cooling off the air, they begin to build up frost and freeze. duo therm rv air conditioners troubleshootingClean the coils every few months for best results. air conditioning units 8000 btuRefrigerant Issues When everything within an air conditioner is working perfectly, the coolant in the reservoir lasts a lifetime and beyond, as they are built to last, not to leak, and the coolant is continually recycled without ever being used up. york 3.5 ton ac unit price

However, leaks can occur, either through faulty installation or through breakdown of other components within the interior over time. When low levels of coolant occur, ice buildup and freezing can occur as the unit tries to work overtime to produce cooler air. Leaking coolant is also another cause of ice buildup and eventual freezing of the unit. Having a licensed technician inspect the unit and repair the leak/refill the coolant reservoir is the only option. Outside Temperature Air conditioners work best in temperatures above 60 degrees. If the exterior temperatures are too low, the coils within the unit are colder than they would be in summer/hot weather, which leads to the air conditioner coils refrigerating the room air, rather than just the air within the unit itself. This leads to ice buildup and freezing. The problem tends to be more prevalent at night than during the daytime hours and is easily solved by simply switching the unit to “Fan” mode to let it circulate the cold air until the ice melts away.

Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionThere is ice on my AC unit. May 26, 2012   Subscribe So my air conditioning is not blowing cold air. I go to the basement to check the unit, and there is about a half-inch of ice on the main pipe leading out of the unit. It’s a bizarre, yet common sight. There you are in the middle of summer. The sun is beating down. Everyone is wearing shorts. And your outside air conditioner unit or heat pump is caked in solid ice. How is it possible for an air conditioner to look like an igloo, even in the warmest summer months? Needless to say, it is abnormal for ice to form on an air conditioner, and it is certainly cause for concern. Several common problems can cause air conditioner freeze-ups: The buildup of ice and frost is a sure sign that your air conditioner is not operating properly. If you notice a decline in your system’s cooling capacity, ice build-up should be the first thing you suspect. Air conditioner freeze-ups should be addressed immediately;

continued ice accmulation can cause permanent damage to your a/c unit. The first thing you should do once you notice your air conditioner is frozen is to turn it off and let it defrost completely. Once it has defrosted, check the airflow. Clean or replace dirty filters or remove any visible dirt or obstructions; in some cases, this could be all that is needed. More serious airflow and refrigeration problems require professional intervention. Schedule a Service Call with Horizon Services; your Horizon service technician has all the tools necessary to troubleshoot serious air flow problems and repair refrigerant leaks. If your icing problem is due to drops in the outdoor air temperature, be sure to turn your air conditioner off when the mercury takes a drop. You should also consider installing a special ambient temperature control that will allow the unit to run properly in cooler temperatures. While all HVAC equipment should be checked by a professional once a year, and an HVAC professional should always be called in to deal with major issues or repairs, you can extend the life of your HVAC system by performing an annual precison tune-up.

And, if you are ready to install or replace your air conditioner or heater our friendly and experienced team of Comfort Specialists know air conditioning and heating systems inside and out. They’ll take the time to study your home, understand your cooling and heating requirements, show you all of your options and assist you with finding the quality home comfort system that best meets your family’s needs and budget. Horizon Services: The only full-service plumbing, heating, air conditioning, geothermal, drain cleaning and sewer and water line replacement company in Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland that guarantees on-time service, up-front pricing and the job done right and clean the first time!Why Does Central Air Conditioner Ice Up?We provide the ability to discuss your icing problem below. You will need to scroll down and search the link for the information you need to read or discuss. The icing problem within central air conditioning unit comes into difference categories.

Here are the reasons and explanation to why central air conditioner builds ice. Yes, dirty filter does cause indoor coil to ice up. The indoor coil is about 40°F. Dirty filter prevents the air from flowing through the indoor coil and cause it to freezes up. Dirty evaporator coil have the same reaction as the dirty filter, so read above. If you were to turn the Fan from Auto to ON, that is the indoor blower air coming from the supply vent. The indoor blower supposed to move the cold air surrounding the evaporator coil. If the blower doesn’t work, the cold air just stays there. It does not move. Lack of refrigerant inside central air conditioner cause the evaporator coil (indoor coil) to freezes up. Small leaks within the evaporator coil can cause the evaporator coil to build ice around it. Outdoor temperature is too lowRunning central air conditioner on low outdoor temperature can cause indoor coil to build frost. Metering device that is not providing the correct amount of refrigerant to the evaporator coil can cause the coil to ice up.

Other Reason Why Central Air Conditioner Ice UpThis switch prevents air conditioner operates on low pressure. Low pressure and temperature will cause the evaporator coil to ice up. No all central air conditioner have this low pressure switch. This is not likely going to occur! It’s just too silly to explain it. Restriction within the copper pipe Restriction can occurs near the indoor coil or anywhere in the copper pipe and cause that specific area to have ice or frost. The cost of having ice in the indoor coilCentral air conditioner ice up is a serious problem and most people do not see it that way. Ice in the indoor coil means there will be liquid Freon entering the Ac compressor. Why don’t we want liquid Freon to enter the compressor? Ac compressor can’t handle liquid Freon. It will damage the compressor. That is why we need the indoor coil to turn all liquid Freon to gas. If the evaporator coil has block of ice, it prevents the heat transfer to occur within the evaporator.

The block of ice is kind up blocking the airflow through the evaporator coil. The cold Freon within the evaporator coil supposed to absorb the heat and turn to gas. It can’t do that if there is block of ice on the evaporator coil. Central Air Conditioner Ice Up Discussion Location Where does the air conditioner ice up occur? Make sure to provide detail and description. Is this Heat Pump, regular air conditioner, window unit or portable ac? What is the Title? (Ex. Suction has ice, compressor ice up, evaporator ice up.. Click below to read air conditioner icing discussion from other visitors... The Evaporator Coil Is Cover In Ice The radiator inside the home behind the air filter gets cover in ice, is this normal? It is causing the filter to get wet and start to rot. Regular Central Air Conditioner Icing Up. About a week and a half ago, we noticed that our central air conditioner did not seem to be working properly. We went outside to look at the unit …