Air Conditioner is Iced Up

An air conditioner freeze up, especially during a midsummer day, is not only confusing, but disruptive. If your system is not cooling as much as it should, and you find your inside or outside units iced up, it is probably time to call an air conditioning repairman. Before you do, and if you are comfortable doing this, replace your air filter. You can also make sure your registers are clear of any furniture or drapes, as these barriers may be blocking the air circulation. If these two techniques don’t work, you’ll definitely want to contact your air conditioning repairman.

What To Do if Your Air Conditioner is Iced Up

While you wait for the A/C technician to arrive, it is very important that you shut off your cooling system, as it will continue to accumulate ice if you don’t shut it off. Eventually all this ice will melt, and if the drain line is clogged, water will overflow, so you’ll definitely need to turn it off as soon as possible. Also, depending on how much ice has already built up on the unit, the defrosting process may take up to 6 to 8 hours. An A/C technician will not be able to work on the system until it is free of ice, so it is best to have it thaw before having your repairman take a look at it.

Why an Iced Up Air Conditioner is Problematic

Although it may not look like a serious issue, having ice amass in your air conditioner is an obvious indication that your air conditioner is not functioning properly internally. You will probably not notice that your cooling system is iced over unless you open your air conditioner. What you will notice is that your air conditioner is not cooling. Numerous system malfunctions may be causing this, but the fundamental reason is improper airflow. Whether this is due to a dirty air filter or an improper refrigerant charge, these issues among others will prevent your system from working properly.