It can be a very strange site, especially when it’s hot outside: ice on your air conditioner. However, this isn’t just some strange anomaly. Ice on your AC indicates that there’s an issue with your system and it needs to be repaired. Otherwise, you could find yourself with warm air blowing through your home’s vents. Scraping off the ice doesn’t fix the problem, and it isn’t a good idea to try and detect the problem yourself unless you have expert training about your AC system. The air conditioning specialists at Downtown Air & Heat can help you with all your repair needs, so if your air conditioner is “on the rocks,” give us a call.
Why Ice Forms
There are three main causes of ice formation on your AC system:
Refrigerant Leaks
Your air conditioner needs to have an exact amount of refrigerant in order to work properly. When the refrigerant level drops, typically due to a leak somewhere in the system, an imbalance develops. This imbalance creates a situation where the warm parts of your AC get too warm and the cool parts become too cold. Condensation is created from the disparaging temperatures, and then quickly freezes on the cold parts, creating an ice build-up.
Fan Malfunction
There are two fans in your air conditioning system, and each helps to keep a balanced air flow inside the system. Fans can slow down due to stretched or loose fan belts, motor issues can develop as can electrical problems, and any one of these issues can affect a fan’s rotation. When air flow is slowed, this reduction can affect the heat release/cooling process, and the same situation that can occur with refrigerant leaks can occur with fan problems.
Operating in Low Temperatures
Air conditioners are made to work when the temperature is above 60 degrees. Should the temperature in your area drop below this, icing can develop, typically overnight.
Ice on your AC in Orlando, FL, is a sign that something is amiss with your system, and the best way to determine what’s happening is to schedule air conditioning repair with an expert.
