Does the air emitting from your supply registers abruptly feel not cold enough? Inspect the indoor portion of your air conditioner. This piece is situated in your furnace or air handler, if you rely on a heat pump. If there’s water leaking onto the floor, there may be crystals on the evaporator coil. The AC coil inside the equipment may have frozen. You’ll need to thaw it before it can cool your home again.
Here’s the steps you should take. If you can’t get the coil back to normal, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is here to assist you with air conditioning repair in Raleigh backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.*
Step 1: Turn the Air Conditioning Off and the Blower On
To get started—move the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This stops chilly refrigerant from moving to the outdoor compressor, which could damage it and result in a costly repair.
After that, move the fan from “auto” to “on.” This makes hot airflow over the crystallized coils to help them melt faster. Remember to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t trigger a cooling cycle.
It might take not more than an hour or the better part of a day for the ice to melt, depending on the degree of the buildup. While you’re waiting, check the condensate pan below the AC unit. If the drain line is clogged, it can spill over as the ice melts, possibly causing water damage.
Step 2: Diagnose the Trouble
Not enough airflow is a primary explanation for an AC to become frozen. Here’s how to figure out the problem:
- Inspect the filter. Insufficient airflow through a dirty filter could be the issue. Check and change the filter once a month or as soon as you notice dust accumulation.
- Open any sealed supply vents. Your house’s supply registers should stay open all the time. Closing vents reduces airflow over the evaporator coil, which can lead it to freeze.
- Be on the lookout for blocked return vents. These usually don’t have moveable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still cover them.
- Insufficient refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most typical suspect, your air conditioning might also be low on refrigerant. Depending on when it was replaced, it may have Freon®. Insufficient refrigerant calls for professional assistance from a certified HVAC technician. H2: Step 3: Contact an HVAC Expert at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If inadequate airflow doesn’t appear to be the issue, then another issue is leading your AC freeze. If this is what’s happening, merely thawing it out won’t fix the problem. The evaporator coil will probably continually freeze unless you take care of the root issue. Call an HVAC pro to look for issues with your air conditioner, which could include:
- Refrigerant leak: AC units continuously use refrigerant, so it shouldn’t get used up. Low refrigerant signals a leak somewhere. Only a technician can pinpoint the leak, mend it, and recharge the air conditioning to the appropriate level.
- Dirty evaporator coil: If dust builds up on the coil, air can’t reach it, and it’s liable to freeze.
- Broken blower: A bad motor or unbalanced fan may prevent airflow over the evaporator coil.
If your AC freezes up, contact the ACE-certified professionals at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to fix the trouble. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners diagnose their air conditioners, and we’re confident we can get things operating again fast. Contact us at 919-578-4329 to schedule air conditioning repair in Raleigh with us right away.
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