The symptoms of a frozen A/C unit can be easily overlooked, but because the consequences can be very serious, it’s important to pay attention to the signals your system may be sending.
Running a frozen air conditioner without correcting the cause of the freeze-up can potentially lead to severe damage to the compressor that may not be reversible. This is why it is so important for every homeowner to be aware of signs that indicate that the indoor evaporator coil is icing up.
The evaporator coil is located in the air handling section of your air conditioning equipment. Its job in the cooling process is to absorb the heat from your home’s return air that your air handler blows over it (effectively cooling the air that is sent back into your house).
There are some common causes of a frozen evaporator coil:
- Clogged air filter
- Low refrigerant
- Dirt build up in coil
Signs that your A/C may be freezing up:
- Sudden decrease in AC performance
- Reduced airflow from the system’s vents
- Unusually large amount of condensate drainage
- Continuously running system
- Uncomfortably warm indoor temperature
If you notice any of the above issues, turn off your AC system immediately and contact us!
Recently, we had a customer that had her evaporator coil totally freeze. This could have been avoided if she had changed her air filters regularly. Below is a picture of her frozen evaporator coil.
