Why Air Conditioner Units Freeze-Up

Nearly everyone who owns an air conditioning unit has experienced a freeze-up. A freeze-up is when a thin film of ice forms on the outer part of your unit. This experience, while irritating, is not the end of the world. The All About Air team has plenty of familiarity with freeze-ups. We’ll help you remedy the situation, and prevent it from happening in the future.

To help you troubleshoot, we complied a list of common reasons a unit becomes frozen:

Restricted Airflow

If there’s something in your AC unit that’s blocking airflow, the system’s evaporator coil is likely to freeze. There are a few variables that can render your unit’s circulation inefficient. A problem that our team often identifies is a dirty air filter. If you leave your unit on 24/7, we strongly suggest replacing or cleaning your air filter monthly. Additional causes can be blocked vents or ducts; a malfunctioning fan; and/or dirty evaporator coils. We recommend having your evaporator coils cleaned seasonally, to ensure proper airflow and healthy air quality.

Low Refrigerant Liquid

If the refrigerant in your unit is low or empty, the culprit is usually a leak. When there’s little or no refrigerant, this allows for moisture in the air to build up and turn to ice on the coil. In this case, you should have your unit repaired immediately. A trusted associate from All About Air will perform a repair. This will include identifying and stopping the leak, and normalizing the refrigerant levels.

Temperature Outside the Home

AC units sometimes freeze because of outdoor temperature drops, often occurring at night. Most units can’t function properly if the temperature outside is under 60 degrees. Cold air going into the unit can lower pressure inside the system and cause a freeze-up.

If you’re concerned about a freeze-up damaging your HVAC unit, call our office, located in Marble Falls, TX today at 803-308-5200. Or contact fill out our request service form and someone from our office will be in touch.