Frozen Air-Conditioner! Causes and Solutions

Frozen Air-Conditioner!  Causes and Solutions

During Dayton’s extreme Summer heat and humidity, your air-conditioner turns into an igloo! Strange as it seems, Lifestyle Comfort Solutions’ technicians see this more often than you might think.

Lisa Crosley, President of Lifestyle Comfort Solutions, explains why this happens and what you should do about it.

Symptoms of a Frozen System
• Ice appears. It might be on the outside unit, on an inside component on the furnace, or on refrigerant piping.
• Warm air blows out of vents, although the thermostat clicks on.
• Vibration noise from the outdoor unit.
What Causes a System to Freeze?
• Dirty filter
• Dirty evaporator coil
• Refrigerant leaks
• Restricted airflow (including insufficient return air ducts, improperly sized, or damaged duct work)
• Unseasonable temperatures (running the air-conditioner when temperatures fall below 60 degrees, especially at night)

How Do I Protect Against Freeze-up?
• Regular filter changes. Follow manufacturer instructions.
• Regular, seasonal professional tune—up. Lifestyle Comfort Solutions performs cooling checks during some unexpected times of the year! It’s not too late! Enjoy the many benefits of a MyLifestyle! Maintenance Agreement for the best value.
• Trim shrubs and bushes around outdoor unit.

What Do I Do if the Unit is Frozen?
• Turn off the equipment immediately. It may take up to 24 hours to thaw a unit. Service and repair stalls until the unit is completely thawed and dried out. DO NOT chip away ice by hand; it may damage sensitive system components.
• Call for professional service. Repair all leaks. Simply adding refrigerant is a costly and environmentally damaging alternative. Moreover, refrigerant leaks are against the law and can result in hefty fines, and, even, imprisonment!
• Duct Testing and Repair. To get to the heart of the problem, talk to Lifestyle Comfort Solutions about surprisingly affordable whole home performance testing.

Lifestyle Comfort Solutions is on a mission to create homes and workplaces which are comfortable, safe, healthy, and energy efficient. Whether you live in Dayton, or surrounding communities like Kettering, Beavercreek, Springboro, Centerville, Miamisburg, Fairborn, Huber Heights, or surrounding communities…It’s your lifestyle, your comfort, our solutions!