If you’re in the middle of summer and your air conditioning unit won’t work, that can be a major issue! In fact, if your air conditioner isn’t working properly, it can be unsafe to have the unit running at all until it’s fixed. If you want to figure out how to quickly unfreeze a frozen AC unit before it causes an even bigger problem, read this article to learn what you can do. In many cases, you’ll be able to use these tips right at home and save yourself money by not having to call a professional! But if you want to be sure your frozen air conditioner is fixed correctly we at Las Vegas AC Repair recommend that you contact us as soon as possible.
Air Filters and all the Ice in your Air Conditioner Unit
Your air filter keeps clean air moving smoothly through your heating and cooling system. A dirty air filter damages airflow and also can add to the formation of ice in your AC unit. In cases of especially bad warm air movement, ice might start to base on the real filter itself. Your supply vents must stay open for correct air movement. As part of your troubleshooting procedure, inspect the air filters to make certain they are clean and that they’re launching cold air. Layers of dirt pressure the follower to function more challenging than required. This brings about decrease energy effectiveness, higher utility expenses, and uncontrolled temperature levels in your air conditioning device. A clogged air filter might additionally be a sign that the evaporator coil is dirty, both of which will certainly worsen interior air top quality. We typically recommend inspecting your air conditioning unit at least once a month, as well as changing the filters and any condensate drain line at most every 3 months. It’s best to obtain the expert opinion of a cooling and heating service technician that will certainly discover what is wrong with your frozen unit to help avoid more damage to various other expensive air conditioner parts. Our goal at Las Vegas AC Repair is to first go after a repair, yet sometimes a replacement makes better sense money and time-wise.
Evaporator Coil and Ice Buildup in Air Conditioners
The air conditioner coil is just one of the most integral parts of your air conditioner’s air conditioning system. It captures warmth in your home as well as transfers heat outside, using a cold refrigerant to help while doing so. A frozen evaporator coil will avoid your cooling system from running appropriately. The AC’s frozen coils can freeze over if it’s too dirty, making it incapable to move heat. Again, having a dirty filter adds to the air conditioner freezing, which counterintuitively prevents it from creating colder air. House owners need to clean up a dirty evaporator coil after defrosting a frozen air conditioning unit. Air conditioning devices differ, yet the majority of models allow homeowners to have a look at their air handler ac coils rather easily by opening up the front panel. If your AC unit is underperforming or stops blowing out cool air, take a look at your evaporator coil to see if you have a frozen AC unit. If your air conditioning coils are iced up, it’s finest to shut off the machine as well as let them thaw out prior to turning on the ac again. If you can’t seem to fix the air conditioner freezing problem then getting an HVAC technician out there might be the best option.
Ways To Unfreeze Your Frozen Air Conditioner
When it’s hot, you’re going to want that air conditioner running at full blast and not any type of warm air. But what happens when you go out of town and can’t find anyone who wants to watch your house and make sure that your air conditioner doesn’t freeze and start shooting out hot air? This post will show you how to unfreeze your ac unit fast. First, turn off all fans and heaters in your home so it doesn’t blow warm air into a room that is already cold. Next, open windows on opposite sides of your home to help get some fresh air circulating through. Third, use a hairdryer or dehumidifier to warm up an AC unit that has ice buildup before turning it back on. Finally, contact an HVAC technician if you still aren’t able to unfreeze your AC unit after trying these steps. Your technician should be able to thaw your AC unit quickly and efficiently. If your AC unit is producing water while running, it could be due to a few different issues.
Water Method
This method involves nothing more than dumping a bucket of warm water into your unit—the warmer, the better. Fill a sturdy bucket with warm tap water and place it on top of your unit. Repeat as needed (at least once every few hours) until your unit is thawed out. Don’t let standing water sit in your AC unit for too long as this can actually damage them over time. If you have a large enough bucket, use hot water instead; if not, run hot water from your sink or bathtub through a hose and drape it over your unit. Make sure to turn off your AC system before doing so, and make sure that any exposed skin isn’t touching anything metal inside your house. You don’t want to get shocked! Once thawed, take note of how long it takes for your unit to start up again: Thawing and restarting a frozen unit will cause wear-and-tear, but you can minimize future breakdowns by keeping track of when these events occur. Finally, clear snow away from vents around your home: Snow buildup decreases airflow and makes it harder for your unit to do its job properly.
Ice Method
If you’re thinking about DIY repairs, there’s a simple ice trick that can temporarily unfreeze an air conditioner. According to Green Building Advisor, all you need is some regular (not gel) ice—preferably from a local source, like a grocery store or bait shop—and a screwdriver. Once you’ve got everything together, open up your window and turn off your unit so it stops blowing colder air. Then, fill up a bucket with water and add in as much ice as possible; once you’ve reached a ratio of 1:3 water-to-ice, pour it into your AC unit through any accessible openings. The idea here is that adding more water will lower the temperature inside of your machine and help unfreeze it more quickly than if you just used plain old ice alone.
Final Thoughts
Whether your air conditioner is running but isn’t producing cold air, or you have a window unit and it stopped blowing colder air, use these steps as a guide. In most cases, you can unfreeze an air conditioner in 10 minutes or less. Always clean out the areas in your frozen AC like a dirty filter or a clogged condensate drain line Before working on your unit—if you aren’t familiar with how it works—turn off and unplug it so no one gets hurt. If possible, also turn off any other sources of heat that might be nearby. For example, if you have a space heater near your air conditioner, shut it down too. That way you won’t accidentally start a fire while trying to fix things up. If all fails contact us to get it fixed right away.
