Is Your Air Conditioning System Freezing? 4 Possible Causes

There are many reasons why your air conditioning system has ice built up inside or outside of it. It is important that you figure out the cause and get the problem taken care of or the ice build up will cause even more damage. To help you, below are four possible reasons this is happening.

Incorrect Refrigerant Pressure 

One common cause of an air conditioning system freezing is the refrigerant pressure in the system is wrong. When this happens, air flow is lost between the air handler and the evaporator coil. With a drop in air flow, the temperature also drops and eventually the temperature gets below freezing. Over time, a layer of ice will build up on the evaporator coil. Your air conditioning system will not work at this point.

Low on Refrigerant

If the refrigerant is low, your air conditioning system can freeze up. This is because when the refrigerant is low the air conditioning system still tries to force the same amount of air as it usually does. Exerting this increased air will cause the temperature to cool down and the temperature will eventually get below freezing.

Internal Problems

If there are no problems with the refrigerant inside the air conditioning system, it could be an internal problem with one of the parts. For example, the refrigerant lines may be bent. The blower fan may not be working properly. If the blades on the fan are bent the blower will not be able to blow properly. If the air filter is dirty and clogged up, this can cause air pressure problems, which leads to the system freezing.

Wrong Temperature Outside

Air conditioning systems are made to work in a certain temperature range. For example, when the air is below a certain amount, the pressure inside the system drops, which results in freezing inside the system. If you are not sure what the temperature range is, refer to the documentation that came with your air conditioning system, or contact the manufacture if you cannot find this information.

The best thing for you to do in a situation like this is to contact an air conditioning repair services contractor, also known as an HVAC contractor. You should also have your system maintained at least yearly to prevent something like this from happening again. The technician can also give you other tips on how to take proper care of the air conditioning system.