Does the air coming from your supply registers abruptly seem warm? Inspect the indoor component of your air conditioner. This part is housed within your furnace or air handler, if you have a heat pump. If there’s water dripping onto the floor, there could be frost on the evaporator coil. The AC coil inside the equipment might have frozen over. You’ll need to defrost it before it can cool your house again.
Here’s what to do. If you can’t get the coil frost-free, Finch Air Conditioning & Heating is here to help with air conditioning repair in Kingwood upheld by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.*
Step 1: Turn the Air Conditioning Off and the Blower On
First things first—switch the thermostat from “cool” to “off.” This prevents chilly refrigerant from going to the outdoor compressor, which could damage it and lead to an expensive repair.
Then, adjust the fan from “auto” to “on.” This creates heated airflow over the crystallized coils to help them thaw faster. Remember to set the cooling mode to “off” so the air conditioner doesn’t begin a cooling cycle.
It might take not more than an hour or the better part of a day for the ice to melt, depending on the level of the ice. While you’re waiting, keep an eye on the condensate pan under the AC unit. If the drain line is obstructed, it may spill over as the ice melts, potentially resulting in water damage.
Step 2: Pinpoint the Issue
Low airflow is a leading cause for an AC to frost over. Here’s how to get to the bottom of the situation:
- Check the filter. Poor airflow through a clogged filter could be the culprit. Check and put in a new filter each month or once you observe dust accumulation.
- Open any shut supply vents. Your home’s supply registers should stay open always. Shutting vents limits airflow over the evaporator coil, which may lead it to freeze.
- Look for covered return vents. These usually don’t use moveable louvers, but furniture, rugs or curtains can still obstruct them.
- Insufficient refrigerant: While airflow restrictions are the most common cause, your system might also not have enough refrigerant. Depending on when it was installed, it may use Freon®. Not enough refrigerant necessitates skilled assistance from a certified HVAC technician. H2: Step 3: Call an HVAC Pro at Finch Air Conditioning & Heating
If poor airflow doesn’t seem to be the issue, then another problem is leading your AC frost over. If this is what’s going on, merely defrosting it won’t take care of the problem. The evaporator coil will possibly freeze again unless you take care of the root problem. Contact an HVAC professional to check for issues with your air conditioner, which might include:
- Refrigerant leak: AC units continuously use refrigerant, so it shouldn’t run out. Not enough refrigerant means there’s a leak somewhere. Only a pro can pinpoint the leak, repair it, and recharge the system to the proper level.
- Dirty evaporator coil: If grime builds up on the coil, air can’t flow over it, and it’s apt to freeze.
- Broken blower: A defective motor or unbalanced fan could halt airflow over the evaporator coil.
When your AC freezes up, get in touch with the ACE-certified specialists at Finch Air Conditioning & Heating to take care of the situation. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners diagnose their air conditioners, and we’re sure we can get things working again quickly. Contact us at 281-407-9478 to schedule air conditioning repair in Kingwood with us right away.
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