Hello, my name is Darby Aldrich. I would like to talk to you about the importance of maintaining your air conditioning system. When I moved to a hot climate, I did not realize how vital having a running air conditioner was for living comfortably. When the unit just stopped working one day, the temperature inside the house rivaled the piping hot weather outdoors. We had to go to the community center to keep the kids from feeling sick. While we were gone, we had a local HVAC contractor fix the unit. She let us know that some simple maintenance tasks would prevent that situation in the future. I will use this site to closely explore those tasks in great detail. I hope you can use the information to keep your air conditioner running like new. Thanks.
If you have noticed that your air conditioning is not running, you may have looked at the AC unit and discovered that it is frozen up. If so, use the following tips to deal with your frozen central air conditioning unit.
Look at the Thermostat Settings
Before you step outside to try to thaw out your air conditioner, take a look at the thermostat settings. The switch may have been accidentally bumped, turning the temperature all of the way down. If this happens, the unit will run continuously, making it too cold inside the air conditioner and increasing the chances of ice formation.
Also, make sure your thermostat is not set to a temperature lower than the outside air. If the temperature outside is cooler than your house, and the AC unit runs constantly, this can also result in ice buildup because it makes the interior of the air conditioner around the condenser too cold.
Once you have checked the thermostat settings, turn the unit off for now. Not only will this allow you to work on the unit without it running, but it will also start the thawing process.
Check the Air Filter
After turning off your AC unit at the thermostat, the next thing you should do is check the air filter to see if it is excessively dirty. If the holes in the filter are blocked by dust and debris, it will not allow air to flow freely through the air conditioner.
Because the airflow is blocked, the cold air cannot easily escape the AC unit. The air then backs up inside, causing the internal temperature to drop to the point that it starts freezing any moisture inside the air conditioner.
Even if you do not see any excess dust on the filter, replace it with a clean one. This will allow you to rule out a problem with the filter if your air conditioner freezes up again.
Thaw Out the AC Unit
Once you have replaced the filter, let the AC unit thaw out naturally before turning the air conditioner back on. While letting the unit thaw on its own may take a few hours, it is the safest way of doing so.
If you try to chip away at the ice, you risk damaging the coolant lines or condenser motor. And, if you use a heater or even a blow dryer to try to melt the ice, the intensely focused heat could dry out and crack the gaskets inside the unit.
After checking the settings and filter then thawing the AC unit, you may find that the unit freezes up again within a couple of days. If so, contact an air conditioning contractor to have them inspect the unit to see if there is a more serious issue causing the problem and discuss your options for fixing or replacing the faulty parts or unit.
Share22 October 2018
