Why Your AC Unit Freezes Up (And How a $10 Filter Could Have Prevented It)
Why Your AC Unit Freezes Up
We recently went out to a home for a ductwork job and found something we see far more often than we'd like: the outdoor AC unit was frozen solid, iced over from top to bottom.
The cause turned out to be simple. The air filter was completely clogged. It hadn't been changed in a long time, and it had reached the point where air could barely move through the system at all.
What Happens When Your Filter Gets Too Dirty
Your AC system needs steady airflow to work correctly. When a filter is clogged, the system can't pull in enough air across the evaporator coil. Instead of that coil staying cool and dry the way it should, it gets too cold and starts collecting moisture from the air. That moisture freezes, and before long the whole coil, sometimes the whole unit, is covered in ice.
Once that happens, your air conditioner stops cooling your home. In some cases, running the unit while it's frozen can cause bigger problems for the compressor, which is one of the most expensive parts to replace.
What We Had to Do
Before we could even start the ductwork job we were there for, we had to shut the system down and let it thaw completely. That takes time, and it's time a homeowner doesn't get back. It also means no cool air in the house until the ice clears and the system can run normally again.
The Simple Fix
A frozen unit is almost always preventable. Here's what we recommend:
Check your filter every 30 to 60 days. If you have pets or live near construction or heavy dust, check it more often.
Hold it up to the light. If you can't see light passing through it, it's time for a new one.
Keep spares on hand. Having a few filters in the right size ready to go makes it easy to stay on top of this.
Don't run your system with a known dirty filter, even for a day or two. It doesn't take long for airflow problems to snowball.
A clean filter is one of the cheapest and easiest things you can do to protect your system. It keeps your unit running efficiently, helps it last longer, and prevents the kind of freeze-up that turns into an unplanned service call.
Not Sure When Yours Was Last Changed?
If you can't remember the last time your filter was replaced, that's a good sign it's overdue. We're happy to check it during your next maintenance visit and make sure your system is breathing the way it should.
Cooling and Heating Specialists LLC Serving Broward County and Palm Beach County 📞 954-729-9956 ✉️ CHS.HVACPros@gmail.com 🌐 CoolingHeatingSpecialists.com
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