Air conditioners make the air around them colder. The refrigerant which runs through the coils sucks the heat right out of your house. That means that the coils themselves are very cold. No wonder you sometimes see air conditioners with layers of ice developing on the coils!
Unfortunately, that’s actually a very bad sign. Ice does not form on air conditioners during normal operation. The coils should be cold, yes, but they should also be absorbing heat, and thus never actually freezing. If your air conditioner has ice on it, what in the world is going on? What can you do about it? Does it need repair? We’ll investigate together.
Insufficient Absorption of Heat
The reason the coils are covered in ice is that something is preventing them from absorbing the amount of heat that they’re meant to absorb. This leaves them super-chilled. When moisture condenses out of the air against the coils—which is normal, and usually drips into the condensate pan—it freezes solid because the coils are so much colder than they should be.
A few different things can prevent the evaporator coils from soaking up heat. One possibility is that your air conditioner’s air filter is badly clogged with dust. This would slow down the airflow too much for the coils to have access to sufficient warm air. Another potential issue is the coils themselves. If they’re dirty, the dust coating them will act like insulation, preventing heat absorption.
Other issues could be more complex than simple dust and dirt. If the blower fan, or the motor that powers it, is broken, that would also prevent sufficient airflow to the coils. Finally, if there is damage to the coils in some spot which is allowing refrigerant to leak out, the lack of refrigerant pressure will cause the temperature of the coils to drop radically. Without enough refrigerant, the coils can’t absorb heat.
The Problem Compounds Itself
Once ice starts to form, there’s another issue causing the same problem. The layers of ice, even though they’re so cold, will provide insulation between the coils and the air. Even less heat will be absorbed! The cycle will continue, and more and more ice will layer onto the coils.
How to Deal with AC Ice
Your first step is to let that ice melt. Simply turn off the AC. Check on the condensate pan from time to time, especially if your AC unit doesn’t have a condensate pump to keep the water flowing out of the drain. You don’t want that moisture to overflow and cause damage to the wall around the air conditioner. All the ice should be gone within 12-24 hours.
Now, clean that air filter, or replace it with a fresh one if it’s the disposable kind. Clean the coils that are now free of ice, but be gentle with them. Try turning the air conditioner on again. Perhaps that’s all that was needed, and your problem has been solved. But if ice starts developing again, chances are, it’s either the blower fan or a refrigerant leak, and you need professional air conditioner repair in Shallowater, TX.
JD’s Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning serves the Lubbock area. Contact us for all your air conditioning needs.