The summer can get very hot in Libertyville, so how in the world is the air conditioner freezing over? It seems to make no sense. You may not even realize it’s happening. How will you know if your air conditioner is frozen? It may seem like a ridiculous question, but you generally won’t actually see the ice except in extreme cases. Here are symptoms to monitor for that indicate you could have a frozen AC system that could require air conditioning service:
- Warm air is coming out of your registers while the air conditioner is running.
- Water is leaking from or gathering under your air conditioner.
When we say your air conditioner is frozen, what’s actually frozen is the evaporator coil, which transfers heat out of your home to keep it cool. There are two main explanations that an evaporator coil may freeze; one is a refrigerant leak and the other reason is a blockage of airflow.
If your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak, you will want to speak with your TopTec Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical technician during your air conditioning service appointment to see if you will benefit more from repairing or replacing your air conditioner. We can help you weigh the pros and cons using information such as the age of your air conditioner and its service history, as well as other things.
If your air conditioner has frozen as a result of an airflow blockage, it’s because there is not enough air passing over the evaporator coil to dry the condensation that develops on it—then it freezes. Air flow blockages are commonly caused by dirty air filters or even dirty cooling fins. These problems can be remedied (and avoided!) by a routine air conditioner service appointment. At these service sessions, your technician will clean your system, replace your air filters and ensure everything is operating as it should with no potential issues on the horizon. It’s also a good idea to mark your calendar or set a reminder on your phone to check your air filters regularly and change your air filters when they are dirty. Always be sure that furniture, curtains and other household items aren’t blocking your registers, as even this could cause a serious airflow problem and the subsequent freezing problems.
If your air conditioner freezes, turn it off using your thermostat and call the team at TopTec Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical to schedule an air conditioning service appointment. We’ll help you identify the issue and have your home back to cool and comfortable quickly. Call us at 847-362-0262 to schedule an appointment with us.