3 Simple Steps for Repairing a Frozen Air Conditioner

Does the air flowing from your supply registers abruptly feel hot? Inspect the indoor portion of your air conditioner. This part is housed inside your furnace or air handler, if you use a heat pump. If there’s water seeping onto the floor, there might be frost on the evaporator coil. The AC coil inside the system could have frosted over. You’ll need to defrost it before it can cool your home again.

Here’s what to do. If you can’t get the coil defrosted, Coastal Service Experts is here to help with air conditioning repair in Savannah backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.*

Step 1: Set the Air Conditioning to Off and the Blower On

To get started—set the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This prevents chilled refrigerant from moving to the outdoor compressor, which could hurt it and result in a pricey repair.

Next, move the fan from “auto” to “on.” This makes hot airflow over the frozen coils to force them to melt faster. Double check to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t start a cooling cycle.

It can take under an hour or the better part of a day for the ice to defrost, depending on the extent of the ice. While you’re waiting, keep an eye on the condensate pan below the AC unit. If the drain line is clogged, it can spill over as the ice melts, potentially causing water damage.

Step 2: Pinpoint the Issue

Poor airflow is a leading reason for an AC to freeze up. Here’s how to get to the bottom of the situation:

Check the filter. Insufficient airflow through a dirty filter could be the culprit. Look at and change the filter once a month or once you notice a layer of dust.
Open any sealed supply vents. Your house’s supply registers should remain open all the time. Sealing vents limits airflow over the evaporator coil, which could lead it to freeze.
Be on the lookout for blocked return vents. These typically don’t use moveable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still cover them.
Not enough refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most frequent culprit, your air conditioning could also have insufficient refrigerant. Depending on its age, it may have Freon®. Low refrigerant necessitates skilled assistance from a certified HVAC technician. H2: Step 3: Get in Touch with an HVAC Professional at Coastal Service Experts

If inadequate airflow doesn’t feel like the trouble, then something else is making your AC freeze up. If this is what’s going on, merely defrosting it won’t fix the problem. The evaporator coil will possibly keep freezing unless you repair the root issue. Get in touch with an HVAC professional to address problems with your air conditioner, which may include:

Refrigerant leak: AC units keep using refrigerant, so it shouldn’t get used up. Low refrigerant means there’s a leak somewhere. Only a specialist can locate the leak, mend it, and recharge the system to the proper concentration.
Filthy evaporator coil: If dust collects on the coil, air can’t flow over it, and it’s liable to freeze.
Nonfunctional blower: A faulty motor or unbalanced fan may stop airflow over the evaporator coil.

If your AC freezes up, contact the ACE-certified Experts at Coastal Service Experts to take care of the trouble. We have years of experience helping homeowners diagnose their air conditioners, and we’re confident we can get things operating again in no time. Contact us at 912-208-2399 to schedule air conditioning repair in Savannah with us right away.

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