By: Brian Schutt
With 80-degree temperatures finally reaching the Indianapolis area, many air conditioners that have been dormant all winter are going to be kicked on for the first time.
A call we receive by the dozens is that the air conditioning system has frozen up. There are a few causes behind this issue:
Likely causes of frozen air conditioner:
- Low refrigerant level caused by a leak in the air conditioning system
- Failing blower motor not moving air through the air conditioner evaporator coil
- Dirty/clogged filter not allowing airflow through the air conditioner evaporator coil
- Blocked return air duct in the home, reducing airflow to air conditioner evaporator coil
When the A/C system starts to freeze, usually it will start within the air conditioner coil, regardless of which of the above causes is. The freezing will then continue through the copper refrigerant lines toward the outside air conditioner condenser. If you find this freezing, there are important steps to follow.
Steps to take if your air conditioner is frozen:
- Turn thermostat setting from Cool/Air Condition to Fan On only. Keeping the fan on is an important step to keep the thawing ice from spilling water onto mechanical parts of the system
- Check the filter (the same filter that is in your furnace) to ensure you have no restricted airflow
- Check airflow through vents to ensure that air is coming through your system
- As the system thaws, call your trusted Indianapolis air conditioner repair company to set up an appointment to do thorough diagnostic, testing refrigerant levels, the blower motor, and other risk areas
Bottom line, if you’re in the Indianapolis area and your air conditioner is frozen up, the system will have to thaw before a quality diagnostic can be performed.
