7 Steps On How To Unfreeze Your AC Coils
Homeowners rely on air conditioners to cool their homes when summertime arrives. However, your home may get too hot, uncomfortable, and even unsafe for vulnerable family members if the air conditioner doesn’t work. For example, a common AC issue that occurs during summer is a frozen evaporator coil, which impacts the air conditioner’s performance and prevents them from working as it should. This article explores how to unfreeze evaporator coils. It is important to note that calling an HVAC professional to resolve a frozen AC coil and maintain your unit is always recommended.
All You Need To Know About Frozen Air Conditioner Coils
Contents
Continue reading to learn more about air conditioner coils, the reasons they freeze, the problems linked with them. We also cover what you can do when you suspect your unit has this issue.
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What Is an Air Conditioning Coil?
An air conditioner or evaporator coil contains refrigerant. This substance is responsible for pulling the indoor heat before traveling to the next component in your air conditioning system. Having a frozen evaporator coil means it can no longer cool the air circulated throughout your home.
Signs You Have a Frozen Air Conditioner Evaporator Coil
There are specific symptoms that can help you determine if your air conditioner has frozen coils. Here is a comprehensive list of these signs:
- The air conditioner works but doesn’t cool your home.
- The air conditioner blows out warm air instead of cold.
- The coil has ice buildup around it.
- The indoor temperature doesn’t match the thermostat temperature.
- The outdoor units have frozen lines and ice accumulation near them.
- There is flooding close to the drain pan.
If you encounter any of these issues with your air conditioner’s indoor or outdoor units, you may have a frozen evaporator coil on your hands. Call a trained HVAC professional to help you resolve this issue.
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What Are the Dangers of Frozen AC Coils?
The biggest problems that arise from a frozen evaporator coil occur when you continue to run your air conditioning unit with a frozen coil. Doing so can result in permanent damage to your cooling system.
Moreover, neglecting your frozen coils and not unfreezing them can lead to an overheating system. This may then cause the refrigerant to leak and damage other AC parts. Prevent damaging your HVAC unit by hiring an HVAC expert. This way, your system works as it should, and you save money by avoiding expensive repairs you may need if you neglect your air conditioner.
How To Unfreeze AC Coils in 7 Steps
Listed below are seven essential tips on how you can fix a frozen evaporator coil.
1. Turn Off the A/C Unit
If you think you have a frozen air conditioner coil, the first step is to turn off your cooling unit. Do this before doing any work or checks on the system. This way, your air conditioner doesn’t incur any damage.
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2. Let The Air Conditioner Sit
Once you turn the air conditioner off, check if the evaporator coil starts defrosting. Sometimes, you may need to wait for a day before your frozen coil thaws. However, it will only naturally thaw if there is temperate weather and air conditioning isn’t needed.
3. Check Your HVAC Air Filters
The air filter is a crucial aspect to check before further inspecting the cause of a frozen evaporator coil. This component traps dust, dirt, mold, allergens, and other particles from the air.
However, it may become dirty as time passes. The debris will clog the filter, preventing air from flowing properly across your system. The clogs can also prevent warm air from free-flowing, causing ice to form on different parts of your air conditioner.
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4. Switch On the Fan
Turn on the fan by switching on the fan-only setting on your thermostat. Ensure that the cool setting remains off and only the fan is on. This will force warm air to pass through the coils to thaw them.
5. Use a Hair Dryer
You can also manually defrost the evaporator coil with a hair dryer if the fan doesn’t work. However, be careful and don’t use its high setting. The high setting on your hair dryer can risk cracking the coil.
Ensure that the hair dryer is at low to medium heat setting instead. There should also be adequate distance between the hair dryer and coil to prevent direct contact. A frozen air conditioner coil typically thaws in 20 minutes.
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6. Let Air Conditioner Coils Dry
When the evaporator coils aren’t frozen anymore, let them dry completely before switching on your cooling unit. This way, you can conduct further checks and determine the reason your evaporator coils froze in the first place.
Moreover, by giving the coils enough time to dry, you can prevent ice from building up again when you turn it on. The best way to dry the coils is to switch on the fan setting to eliminate excess moisture from the area.
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7. Clean the Air Conditioner Coils
Air conditioners require a clean evaporator. Therefore, clean them when they dry. However, make sure the area around the outdoor unit is clean. It is best to leave the task of cleaning the evaporator coil and outdoor unit to an HVAC professional. They will make sure that your central air conditioner functions well throughout the summer.
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When in Doubt, Always Work with HVAC Professionals
Air conditioners have many complicated components that professional air conditioning technicians must inspect. It is crucial to have experts check your unit when the weather starts heating up so that they can resolve the problem quickly. This way, your air conditioner functions properly again.
Contact Point Bay Fuel For Your HVAC Requirements
Point Bay Fuel is the leading provider of excellent HVAC services in Ocean County and Monmouth County, New Jersey. We have highly skilled and professionally certified technicians specializing in heating and cooling replacements, installations, repairs, and tune-ups. We take pride in delivering exceptional services to all our customers.
Our team understands why it is crucial to have a comfortable and energy-efficient home. This is the reason we offer affordable rates for our services. Our maintenance services are designed to improve your comfort and lower your energy expenses. Our knowledgeable technicians can recommend the best, budget-friendly HVAC repair or replacement should you need it. You can rely on our work, and we offer a satisfaction guarantee.
Call Point Bay Fuel to schedule a service appointment with us. Our company offers in-home estimates so you can make informed decisions about your HVAC systems. Trust Point Bay Fuel to provide top-quality heating and cooling services! Call now!
Contact us now by calling (732) 349-5059 to speak to one of our home comfort specialists! Click the link to view our service area.