When you think about an air conditioner that is producing ice, you might be tempted to believe this is a sign that it is working well. The truth is actually the opposite. When your AC unit is producing any amount of ice, it meants that something is wrong with it.
If you didn’t realize this was a problem or aren’t sure why, then we would love to tell you more. The ice you are seeing is specifically originating from your evaporator coil and the sooner it is addressed the better for your system and your comfort.
What Does the Evaporator Coil Do?
Understanding how your evaporator coil works is going to help you understand why it might ice over. Refrigerant in your AC system cycles through the coil and absorbs heats from air that is pushed over the coil. If your coil is starting to collect ice it means there is something that is hindering the absorption of heat.
How Ice Builds Up on Your Evaporator Coil
When your evaporator coil starts to collect a layer of ice it is because there is something hindering the absorption of heat into the refrigerant in your system. There is more than one way this can occur. Here are three possible reasons you evaporator coil is collecting ice:
- Airflow is being reduced: If there is no hot air flowing over your coil, the refrigerant has nothing to absorb heat from. This means that it will start to cool down the area immediately around the coil far more than normal with nowhere from it to go, making it easy to ice to collect.
- There is too much dirt on the evaporator coil: Over time your evaporator coil might start to collect a layer of dirt and debris. Mixed with the usual amount of moisture that also collects on your coil, if too much dirt gathers it will hinder the heat absorption process and create the perfect environment for the creation of ice.
- The level of refrigerant is low: Last but not least we have the problem of your refrigerant. If your refrigerant level gets too low, it isn’t going to be able to absorb any heat. It will, however, keep trying to cool air like it is meant to. This will eventually lead to the collection and build-up of ice on the coil.
We Can Help With Frozen Coils
An evaporator coil that has begun to collect a layer of ice is one that needs AC repair in Hartwell, GA. Don’t try to fix this issue on your own by taking a blow dryer to thaw out the coil. It is far more likely that you will end up harming your AC further. Leave this job to the professionals.
If you notice that your air conditioner is collecting ice on its coil, turn off your system and contact us. We can get your coil thawed, fix the source of the problem, and address any additional repairs that have popped up as a result.
Contact JN Electrical Temperature Control, Inc for service. Feel The Difference.