You do not have to be an air conditioning expert to understand the purpose that your air conditioning system serves. It is there to keep your home cool and comfortable no matter how hot out it may get, right? Right. Well, it is precisely this understanding of the situation that can lead to some confusion among homeowners. Yes, your air conditioner is there to effectively and dependably cool your home. At no point, however, should your air conditioning system be generating ice.
An air conditioner is not a freezer, and it should not be producing ice at any point during its cooling process. We often receive calls from homeowners concerned about ice on their air conditioning systems, as well as from those wondering where the water that is freezing comes from, anyway. After all, air conditioners don’t use water to cool homes! In today’s post, we will answer all of these questions for you, while reminding you once again why prompt AC repairs in Clovis, CA are so important.
The Role of Condensation
Let’s first look at where the moisture that is freezing on the air conditioner is coming from, to begin with. You may notice frost on your refrigerant lines — more on that momentarily — but generally, homeowners noticing ice on their air conditioning systems spot it on the indoor coil, which is the evaporator coil. The ice on this coil is not due to a water leak, but rather condensation.
When your air conditioner runs to cool your home, refrigerant evaporates in this coil. During the cooling process, moisture is drawn out of the air. This moisture condensates on the coil before being drained via the condensate drain line and drain pan. If the coil gets too cold, though, the condensation can freeze on it.
Why Might the Coil Be too Cold?
A great question! There are a few reasons why the coil in your air conditioning system may get too cold.
A Dirty Filter
If the air filter in your air conditioning system gets too dirty, it can restrict airflow throughout the system a lot. If it restricts airflow enough, then there won’t be enough hot air passing over the coil for it to remove heat from the air sufficiently. When that happens, the coil gets too cold and icing can occur. Simply changing the filter can resolve the problem if this is the case.
A Refrigerant Leak
Okay, this is a much more serious problem. If you have a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner, you are going to want to schedule prompt air conditioning repairs — and by prompt, we mean ASAP! Failure to have the leak detected and sealed, and your refrigerant recharged to the appropriate level, can result in catastrophic damage to the system.
When refrigerant is low, the heat absorption process is seriously hindered. The system will have to work harder than it should in order to cool your home, and that can really strain the compressor. Leave your AC repairs to Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning, and know that your system will be put back on track successfully.
We strive to provide honest answers and solutions to the problems our customers experience while remaining highly competitive in price, and offer the fastest turnaround you can find!