Air conditioners are one of the essential home appliances during harsh summer weather. Strange as it may seem, air conditioners often freeze during summer — a condition that affects their functionality. If the supply registers are warm and the panels contain ice, your air conditioner is freezing because there's something wrong with the system.

Here are some of the reasons that contribute to this problem:

Limited Air Flow

For normal functioning, air conditioners need unrestricted air circulation. This gives the evaporator coils a sufficient supply of warm air to help prevent freezing. The evaporator coil is the cold part of the air conditioner that absorbs the heat in the surrounding air. Low air supply decreases the temperature of the evaporator coil, causing humidity to accumulate around it.

To fix this problem, you should;

  • Keep the air filters in your house clean and unclogged.
  • Free up space around the return vents by removing anything that can block them, like furniture.
  • Ensure that all supply vents are open.
  • If the air conditioner still doesn't work after you unclog the air filters and vents, get a professional to check the evaporator coils and air ducts.

Refrigerant Leaks

The moving components of an air conditioner are prone to mechanical challenges. To work well, the unit needs to keep the refrigerant at certain levels. Wear and tear can cause the coil to leak and not absorb heat, so a hissing sound around the coil means your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak.

To fix the problem, you need a trained professional to check the unit, repair the leak, and refill the coolant. If you deal with recurring leaks, it's high time you save up for a new air conditioner.

Cool Summer Night Temperature

Air conditioning is designed to operate within a specific range of temperatures. Sometimes, summer nights are cooler than the set threshold. The low temperatures affect the functioning of the evaporator coil and result in a frozen air conditioner. To prevent this, consider the following;

Use a thermostat to turn off the air conditioner automatically if the temperature falls below the 60-degree threshold.

Monitor nighttime temperatures. If they approach 60 degrees, shut down the air conditioner and open up your windows to let in a cool breeze.

The Bottom Line

A frozen air conditioner is a problem you're likely to experience. You can't always avoid it, but you can take preventive measures and give the unit regular maintenance to save energy and keep it up and running.

Is your air conditioner frozen? Hiring a professional HVAC service will guarantee you reliable HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance. Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating to connect with experienced and reliable technicians for all your air conditioning needs.