Your air conditioner is meant to create cold temperatures, right? Absolutely. But here’s the thing: sometimes, ice develops on an air conditioner’s evaporator coils. Since people expect their air conditioner to be very cold, they might think this is perfectly fine. But it’s not! An icy air conditioner is a sign of a pretty serious problem that requires repair, or it will get worse. Here’s what’s going on.
How Ice Begins to Develop
There are four main reasons why your air conditioner might start to develop a layer of ice on the evaporator coil. The ultimate reason will always have to do with the air conditioner not absorbing enough heat, which leaves the refrigerant in the evaporator coils much colder than it should be. Some of the possible problems you can check on and possibly remedy yourself. Others require professional attention.
- Poor Airflow: The system won’t be able to absorb enough heat if it doesn’t have enough air moving through it. While this could be an issue with a broken fan or something along those lines, it could also be as simple as a clogged air filter.
- Dirty Coils: If there’s a layer of dirt caked onto the evaporator coils, it will act as insulation, stopping the refrigerant from absorbing enough heat. This just requires cleaning.
- Leaking Refrigerant: If at some point in the system of coils there is a damaged spot, refrigerant could be leaking out. With insufficient refrigerant in the system, the air conditioner won’t be able to absorb enough heat. The damage needs to be repaired so the system can be refilled with refrigerant.
- Poorly-Sized Air Conditioner: If your system is new and has developed this icy problem right away, it could simply be that it’s the wrong size for your home’s needs. Too large an air conditioner will be overpowered. Too small an air conditioner won’t be able to absorb sufficient heat.
How the Problem Worsens
Whatever the initial cause of the icy buildup, the ice itself will now contribute to the problem. It insulates the coils and prevents the absorption of heat! The more ice builds up, the worse the issue becomes, causing even more ice to develop.
How to Remedy the Problem
Your first step is to defrost the air conditioner. Simply turn it off and let the ice melt completely. If your air conditioner has a condensate pump, it should be able to handle the extra moisture just fine. If not, check occasionally to make sure you’re not overflowing the condensate pan or causing puddles. This should take a day or less.
Once the ice is gone, address the things that are within your control. Clean the evaporator coils gently and thoroughly if they are dirty. Change your air filter, which you should be doing at least once a month anyway. Now you can try running your air conditioner again.
If the problem does not recur, just make sure you keep changing your air filter, cleaning your coils, and getting routine maintenance once a year. If the ice starts to build up again, you’ve probably got one of the more serious AC issues mentioned above. You need AC repair in West Monroe, LA.
Contact Mike Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. We provide “Professional grade service.”