In theory, having a frozen AC unit might sound like a good thing. It would seem as though a frozen AC unit would be able to pump even more cold air into your home than usual.
But in reality, a frozen AC unit can be one of the worst HVAC problems you can face during the summer months. Homeowners should do whatever they can to prevent the evaporator coils in their AC units from freezing up since it could be very harmful overall.
So, what exactly is a frozen AC unit? What causes it? And how can you get rid of this issue and prevent it from coming back?
Find out more about frozen AC units below.
What Is a Frozen AC Unit?
Despite what you might think, a frozen AC unit is not simply an AC unit that’s blowing out freezing-cold air. Instead, it’s an AC unit that has frozen evaporator coils.
The evaporator coils in an AC unit use AC refrigerant to cool off air before it’s sent out into your home. However, there are times when evaporator coils will get too cold and freeze up. This leaves you with what’s known as a frozen AC unit.
Why Is a Frozen AC Unit Bad?
A frozen AC unit might not appear as though it would be all that big of a deal. But it can actually do some extensive damage to your AC unit as a whole if you don’t do anything to fix the problem.
More specifically, it can put a gigantic strain on your AC compressor and eventually cause it to fail on you. That may put you in a position where you’ll either need to make AC repairs or maybe even do an AC replacement.
If you ever suspect you might have a frozen AC unit, you should shut your AC system down immediately. It’ll stop the flow of AC refrigerant and stop further HVAC problems from setting in.
What Causes a Frozen AC Unit?
There are quite a few things that can leave you doing battle with a frozen AC unit. For instance, a dirty air filter might be to blame for it. You should make it a point to replace the air filter in your AC system at the start of every summer season and at least every three months.
An AC leak can also lead to a frozen AC unit. If AC coolant leaks from your AC system, you shouldn’t be too surprised if you find yourself with an AC unit that’s frozen at some point. An AC leak should always be fixed ASAP.
Dirty evaporator coils can be the culprit behind a frozen AC unit as well. Bringing in one of the best HVAC companies Denver offers to clean your evaporator coils could reduce the chances of your AC unit freezing.
How Can a Frozen AC Unit Be Fixed?
If your AC system’s evaporator coils ever freeze up, that will be reason enough to turn your AC system off right away. But you shouldn’t stop there. You should also take a couple of other steps to hopefully fix your frozen AC unit and get it working like normal again.
The first thing you’ll want to do is give it more than enough time to thaw out. You might initially be tempted to try to remove ice from your evaporator coils with something sharp, but that could seriously damage them. Giving evaporator coils time to thaw is a much better option.
Once your evaporator coils have thawed out, let them sit and dry for a little while. You might even want to turn your HVAC system’s fans on to speed up the drying process.
From there, you should try to figure out what caused your AC unit to freeze up in the first place before you turn it back on and begin using it again. Otherwise, you might find yourself having similar HVAC problems before long.
What Can Be Done to Prevent a Frozen AC Unit?
There are steps you can take to prevent a frozen AC unit from wreaking havoc on your home. You shouldn’t have to worry about your AC unit freezing up on you as long as you’re willing to work at maintaining your AC system.
First and foremost, you should get into the habit of replacing your air filter regularly. It’ll keep air flowing through your AC system and stop evaporator coils from not getting enough air and freezing.
You should also call on the best HVAC contractor Denver, CO can offer to perform routine HVAC maintenance. They’ll see to it that you don’t have anything going on in your AC system that could lead to your evaporator coils freezing.
Additionally, you should sneak a peek at your AC system’s evaporator coils every now and then to see if they need to be cleaned. It’s imperative that you keep them clean all the time to prevent them from freezing.
Contact Us to Help Fix a Frozen AC Unit
Is your AC unit freezing up more than it should and causing the interior of your home to get too hot? Premier Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning can help solve this problem for you.
Whether you have an AC coolant leak or evaporator coils that need to be cleaned, we’ll get to the bottom of your HVAC problems. We’ll help you avoid having to live with a frozen AC unit anymore.
Reach out to us today to take full advantage of our HVAC services.
