This summer is extremely hot, but ironically that means it’s the time of year when your air conditioner coils are most likely to freeze. What do you do now?
Don’t freeze up! Let us talk you through how to thaw everything out without incurring long-term problems for your air conditioner.
How do I know if the coils are frozen?
If your air conditioner isn’t running very well, you have no way of knowing without looking to see whether frozen coils are the problem. You’re no psychic! (Although, it would be nice to see every HVAC problem coming …) So, check for these key signs that your evaporator coils are frozen:
First, go outside and check if you can see any ice around your coolant lines. If you’re wondering, “where are the coolant lines?” … the coolant lines, or refrigerant lines, are the copper tubes covered with rubber insulation that connect your outdoor air conditioning unit to the evaporator coils, which are inside. You should see these tubes at the back of your A/C unit.
Then, go back inside and go into your closet or your attic – or wherever your air handler is located. (The air handler is the large metal box you’ll be looking at when you change your filter.) The evaporator coils are a triangular-shaped apparatus at the bottom of the air handler.
What exactly does that mean for you? Well, if you see moisture/condensation at the bottom of the air handler, or anywhere on the outside of the air handler, that’s a major sign of frozen evaporator coils. You might even be able to hear water dripping from inside!
Now what do I do?
Whether you’ve confirmed for certain that you have frozen evaporator coils, or you just suspect it, you need to turn off your A/C. Then, your coils should be able to defrost, taking up to 24 hours to thaw out. You can also safely dry out the coils with a hair dryer. However, chances are you’re going to be running into this problem over and over again this summer, if you don’t understand why your evaporator coils are freezing!
The coils are naturally supposed to be at an almost freezing temperature, so that they can successfully cool your air. But large amounts of ice aren’t supposed to form on them. If this is happening, the reason is usually a problem with your air flow.
That’s why you should contact us today to investigate why your evaporator coils are freezing up. This way, you’ll be able to get your air conditioner repaired ASAP! We’re happy to serve anyone in the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan area who is experiencing problems with their air conditioner. Call us now at (248) 986-1506 or contact us online.
