Since most people don’t know the inner workings of their home air conditioning systems, they may think the appearance of ice along the evaporator coil is something normal. After all, the AC blows out air that feels frigid, as if it were blown across an Arctic landscape. So shouldn’t ice be a normal byproduct of the air conditioner cooling down a house?
The answer is no, not at all.
When an air conditioner is running properly, ice will never appear on it. If ice does show up on the evaporator coil (the spot where it will start) it means that something is wrong with the system. If this happens to your air conditioner, you will probably need to call for air conditioning repair in Akron, OH.
The Reasons Ice Can Form on an Air Conditioner’s Coil
There are a number of different causes for the formation of ice on an AC’s evaporator coil, although they all indicate a similar problem: The refrigerant in the coil is not absorbing enough heat, and therefore is staying too cold. The lower temperature of the refrigerant causes the moisture in the air to freeze along the coil’s surface. Once ice starts to form, it will continue to grow because it will block more heat from getting to the coil. Eventually, the ice will completely block heat absorption, and the AC will not cool down the house.
Some possible sources for this:
- The HVAC air filter is heavily congested and is past due for being changed out for a clean one. The clogged filter prevents enough warm air from entering the AC to heat up the refrigerant in the coil.
- The coil is covered with dust, grime, mold, or anything else that will make it harder for it to absorb heat from the air.
- The AC is losing refrigerant to leaks. This sounds odd, because why would less refrigerant make the coil colder? The reason is that the reduced amount of refrigerant won’t absorb enough heat, leaving the remaining amount too cold.
- The AC thermostat has been turned too low for too long. This isn’t a common problem, but it can happen in thinner air. We still recommend not turning the thermostat lower than 72°F, no matter the outdoor temperature.
The loss of refrigerant is the most urgent problem since this puts the entire air conditioner in danger of breakdown because of an overheated compressor. Even if the problem is as simple as a clogged filter, which you can change yourself, you will need to have technicians handle defrosting the coil. Keep in mind, just scraping off the ice isn’t solving the root problem, only a symptom of it. And scraping the ice off also risks damaging the coil.
Call the Experts
You can depend on our NATE-certified technicians to find out the source of the ice on your AC and have the problem fixed. We offer premium service backed by the best guarantees around.
Crown Group Ohio is family-owned and offers a full satisfaction guarantee. Call us today for the AC service you need.