As an Austin homeowner you may have experienced your air conditioner freezing up. Whether you have a central A/C system or a window unit, this occurs when you notice a layer of ice has formed on the outdoor portion of your unit. What causes this, and what can you do? It’s important to know repeated freezing can result in damage to the compressor, so don’t procrastinate if you have this problem. Our Austin air conditioning pros have a few tips below.
If your A/C system is low on Freon or refrigerant, it can cause it to freeze up. Usually a leak is the cause of low refrigerant, which results in a pressure drop in the evaporator coil. This makes it possible for moisture that’s in the air to build up and freeze on the coil. If your system is leaking refrigerant it’s important to contact our HVAC professionals who will locate the leak and make the necessary repair before replacing refrigerant to the proper level.
Inadequate air flow is another reason your air conditioner may freeze up. When the air flow is restricted it can cause the evaporator coil to freeze up. It could be that vents or ducts are closed which inhibits the flow of air, or something as simple as a dirty, clogged air filter. Be sure to change your air filter every month – and clean your evaporator coils during the summer and winter seasons.
The temperature outdoors can cause your system to freeze up. When it’s 60 degrees outside you really don’t need to run the A/C, but some people do. Temperatures can drop significantly during the night time hours as well. When temperatures drop below a certain level it causes a drop in pressure inside your system, which may result in freezing up.
These are a few of the reasons a cooling system may freeze up, although there are others. If you can’t determine what the problem is, give our Austin HVAC contractors a call. At Schneider Mechanical our job is to ensure your comfort and help your HVAC system function as efficiently as possible.
