Air conditioners are some of the most cherished appliances during Georgia’s hot summer season. They keep your home and business cool and comfortable once temperatures rise, allowing you to beat the heat until fall sets in. However, sometimes an air conditioner’s coils freeze and prevent them from generating chilled air. If you noticed dust on them beforehand, you may wonder, “Can dirty coils cause an AC to freeze?”
To teach you more about air conditioners, Georgia Air Cooling & Heating developed a guide explaining everything you need to know about frozen coils and how they affect your unit.
Georgia Air Cooling & Heating is one of Pooler, Georgia’s leading professional heating and cooling companies. If you need trusted AC repair in Pooler, GA, that always puts your needs first, contact Georgia Air Cooling & Heating.
What Are Evaporator Coils?
Evaporator coils are small yet extremely important air conditioning components. They play an essential role during the heat exchange process and allow AC units to generate cool air on demand.
When you turn on your air conditioner, it pulls warm air out of your property and pushes it over the evaporator coils. The coils contain refrigerant that chills the air before the blower fan guides it through your ductwork and into your home. Without functioning evaporator coils, your air conditioning system can’t produce cold air, leaving your property exceedingly hot and unpleasant.
Keeping your air conditioner’s evaporator coils full of refrigerant and well-maintained is essential to ensure the unit operates optimally throughout the summer. Failing to do so can cause numerous issues that adversely affect your home’s indoor comfort while putting unnecessary strain on your system, increasing the likelihood of malfunctions.
Can Dirty Coils Freeze an Air Conditioner?
So, can dirty coils cause an AC to freeze? Yes.
Dirty evaporator coils and condenser coils can cause your air conditioner to freeze while creating several other problems. Overly dirty coils can’t move, absorb, or release heat, preventing your air conditioner from completing the heat exchange process. If the unit can’t finish the heat exchange process, it can’t generate cool air efficiently, causing frost to build up along the coils.
If you don’t clean the coils swiftly, the frost will become moderately sized ice blocks that diminish the air conditioner’s performance. However, when the ice blocks start to melt, the influx of water can overflow the unit’s drip pan, causing several other problems, ranging from air conditioner leaks to water damage. That’s why keeping both the evaporator and condenser coils clean and clear is vital to keeping your air conditioner up and running throughout the summer.
Signs of Frozen Air Conditioner Coils
Figuring out when your air conditioner’s coils freeze isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t know what to look for. Fortunately, most cooling systems display warning signs once their coils freeze. If you notice any of the following, your air conditioner likely has frozen coils.
The Air Conditioner Stops Generating Cool Air
The most apparent sign of frozen AC coils is inadequate cooling. Since frozen coils prevent your air conditioner from completing the heat exchange process, it won’t keep up with your home’s cooling demands. You’ll notice that your home’s indoor temperature doesn’t match your thermostat and feels much hotter than the reading. Although your air conditioner will continue pumping air inside your home, it will be much warmer despite being set to cooling.
Pooling Around the Unit
Again, water from frozen coils drips into your air conditioner’s drain pan and can cause pooling around your indoor or outdoor unit. Moderate pooling is a common sign of frozen coils and can leave your property water-damaged while causing the air conditioner to work harder than normal.
However, it’s important to note that pooling around an air conditioning system doesn’t always mean it has frozen coils. Sometimes, pooling can stem from other malfunctions, like refrigerant leaks, that require professional repairs. If you notice a large pool of liquid around your unit, it’s best to contact a professional to assess the air conditioner and ensure it’s not experiencing a more significant issue.
Six Additional Causes of Frozen AC Coils
When people ask, “Can dirty coils cause an AC to freeze?” they almost always follow up with, “What causes my air conditioning coils to freeze?”
An AC unit’s coils can freeze for numerous reasons. Some suffer from broken fans that can’t maintain adequate airflow, while others experience clogged condensate lines that prevent the unit from discharging excess moisture along the evaporator coils. Knowing what causes AC coils to freeze will help you determine the best solution to the issue, allowing you to restore your home’s indoor comfort without delay.
Below are some common causes of frozen AC coils.
1. Inadequate Airflow
Evaporator coils absorb heat and allow your unit to generate cool, refreshing air through the heat exchange process. However, if the coils don’t have enough warmth to absorb, the moisture around them will freeze, preventing you from efficiently cooling your home.
Unfortunately, poor airflow can stem from multiple issues, making it difficult to fix. Damaged ductwork, filthy air filters, broken blower fans, and more can restrict the unit’s airflow, so you might want to contact a professional to diagnose and fix your air conditioner.
2. Dirty Air Filter
Air filters help AC units operate at their highest efficiency level while ensuring optimal airflow. However, air filters become dirty over time and require a replacement every month or so (depending on the air conditioning model). Failing to change your unit’s air filter will put immense stress on your air conditioner by restricting airflow and potentially clogging other parts of its interior.
The reduced airflow will cause your AC coils to freeze until you replace the air filter. Staying up to date with your AC unit’s air filters will ensure it operates flawlessly during the dog days of summer while significantly reducing wear and tear.
3. Low Refrigerant
The refrigerant inside the evaporator coils allows them to cool air as the air conditioner pushes it over their structure. However, evaporator coils often freeze when they don’t have enough refrigerant, preventing them from cooling the air.
Maintaining optimal refrigerant levels is vital for your AC unit to function properly. Low refrigerant levels will overwork the system and cause it to break down. Refilling your air conditioner’s refrigerant will prevent the evaporator coils from freezing while dramatically improving its cooling abilities.
It’s important to note that refrigerant doesn’t run out after use. If your unit doesn’t have refrigerant, it likely has a leak or a poor charge.
Always contact a professional HVAC technician to refill your unit’s refrigerant as soon as you notice it’s running low. They will fix the leak, charge the system, and replenish the refrigerant to ensure optimal performance.
4. Drainpipe Clogs
Clogs within your AC unit’s drainpipe can increase condensation along the evaporator coils and cause them to freeze. Although it’s normal for condensation to form on evaporator coils, too much increases the chances of freezing, hindering the unit’s function. Dust and debris often accumulate in and around drainpipes, so cleaning it may resolve the issue.
However, if the evaporator coils continue to freeze after you clean the drainpipe, contact a professional to evaluate and fix the system.
5. A Damaged Blower Motor
Your unit’s blower motor pushes air out of your system and into your property. However, when the blower motor breaks down, it can’t control airflow, causing the unit’s coils to freeze and preventing cool air from reaching your home. Blower motors are a key aspect of air conditioning units and require professional repairs as soon as they give out.
6. Thermostat Issues
Your thermostat sends information to your air conditioner and tells it how hard it needs to work to cool your property. Thermostat problems can cause inaccurate temperature readings and send incorrect information to the AC unit, potentially causing it to work harder and longer than it should. Malfunctions can also have the opposite effect, stopping your air conditioning system before your home reaches your desired temperature.
An overworked AC unit often experiences frozen coils since they have to work harder and longer to match the thermostat setting. If your property’s indoor temperature doesn’t match the thermostat setting, check your air conditioner’s evaporator coils to see if they froze over. Also, contact an HVAC service to fix your thermostat and restore your air conditioner’s performance.
Georgia Air Cooling & Heating offers exceptional HVAC services in Pooler, Georgia, and will rejuvenate your air conditioner to help you beat the heat all summer long.
Contact Georgia Air Cooling & Heating for Outstanding HVAC Services in Pooler, Georgia
Next time your air conditioner stops working and leaves you wondering, “Can dirty coils cause an AC to freeze?” contact Georgia Air Cooling & Heating. Our HVAC specialists will have your air conditioner operating better than ever at a price that won’t break the bank. Whether you need AC coil maintenance or want to replace your air conditioner, Georgia Air Cooling & Heating has you covered.
Give Georgia Air Cooling & Heating a call at (912) 513-3361 and book your appointment today!