Your AC unit is crucial to your home’s heating and cooling system. When it malfunctions or freezes up, the house can quickly be stiflingly hot.
1. Turn off the Air Conditioning Unit
The first thing you do when an AC unit freezes up is turn off the air conditioning to stop the freezing from doing more damage. Check for the blower’s efficiency before turning it on. A damaged blower could be the reason it froze. This is because it’s responsible for blowing air over the coils.
If it is damaged, it won’t be able to perform its task, and thus the coils will lack sufficient airflow. If the blower is okay, you can turn it on, but it will have to be replaced if damaged.
2. Thaw the Ice
Turn on the blower and then open the windows for better ventilation. Try to use a fan to help ventilate the room. As warm air is blown over the coils, the ice melts. It may take hours to be done.
3. Dry and Clean the Coils
After the ice has fully thawed, the coils will be left wet and need to be dried. This is to prevent the coils from freezing again. Freezing frequently will damage the evaporator coils; thus, you should take care of the system.
You might notice dirt or grime on the coils that need to be cleaned. Dirty coils can also be the reason your AC froze. This is because dirt forms a layer on the coils, making it difficult for them to transfer heat to the refrigerant inside. When this happens, the refrigerant cools too much and causes the coils to freeze.
Regular maintenance for your AC unit will ensure that the system works well and is highly efficient. A professional HVAC technician will know how to maintain the unit so that problems like these won’t happen in the future. Jay's Heating, Air & Plumbing in Mount Airy, NC, will help maintain and install your AC system.
If you want to ensure that your AC unit is working correctly and safely, you must do regular maintenance. This can save you a lot of time and cost in the future. At Jay's Heating, Air & Plumbing, we offer cooling and heating maintenance, repair and installation services. Call us today to learn more.