What Causes Aircon Coils To Freeze Up?

What Causes Aircon Coils to Freeze Up? You might think that it is good for your air conditioning coils to freeze so that they can produce cold air. However, this is not true since the aircon works through a refined control of airflow, pressure, and temperature.

If any of these conditions is unbalanced, the aircon refrigerant system which creates cold air can overclock and then freeze itself. An air conditioning system that is frozen will either blow cold/warm or nothing at all. Below are some of the reasons why this is possible.

1 ) Inadequate airflow

This is one of the major reasons why your air conditioning system can freeze up. It can be caused by many malfunctions such as:

• Collapsed duct

Even if the other parts of your aircon are running smoothly, a blocked or damaged air duct can make the AC not to receive enough airflow. This can make the coils to freeze due to inadequate warm air to keep them at proper room temperature.

• Blocked condensate lines

These are parts of your aircon system which drain away excess moisture which is produced from humidity. This moisture is usually condensed into the water so that it travels through the pipes into your drainage.

If the pipes are clogged they can make this water stick in one place, therefore start to freeze. This is very possible is the obstruction occurs near the evaporator coil.

• Blocked fans

If your fan has dirty blades or a broken motor, there will be inadequate airflow which can make the aircon coils to freeze. You should know that even if the filters are clean they cannot assist much unless the fan can push air through the aircon system.

• Bad blower motor

In addition, if the aircon blower does not receive enough power or is damaged but its compressor keeps running, there will be issues with airflow which can lead to the freezing problem.

If the blower motor is not functioning well you may hear rattling sounds from your system.

2) Dust blocking the coils

If you do not change the air filter or have a low-quality one you will expose your aircon to another risk of getting dust. Normally, the air conditioning refrigerant coils are damp due to the moist air which condenses on the cold surface.

If dusty air can blow through the damp coils, it can lead to the formation of a thick blanket. Dust will act as an insulator since it will trap cold air inside the coils thereby creating excessive freezing.

3) Damaged thermostats

A thermostat is an important unit of your aircon since it checks the surrounding temperature and controls how the system works so that you enjoy the appropriate temperature levels.

If the thermostat is damaged it can wrongly sense the temperature or control the aircon wrongly such that it can run for many hours and also wear out within a short period. In case you have issues in having stable temperatures then your thermostat might be damaged.

If you continue ignoring it your system can overwork and in turn make the coils to freeze.

4) Low refrigerant

If your air conditioning unit has a low refrigerant then it can also freeze up. This is because when the refrigerant level drops, there will be less pressure which will make the flashing happen early than expected.

This early flashing process can create enough cold air which will condense into moisture on the coils and then immediately freeze up. If the flashing continues, more ice will continue to build up such that it will even creep up to the copper pipes.

What Causes Aircon Coils To Freeze Up? – Conclusion

Having a low refrigerant is a sign that your aircon is experiencing some leakages. Therefore it is good that you sought it out in time to prevent further damages.

If there are small issues with your aircon system and you leave them unattended for a long period they can make the coils to freeze. Therefore, you must conduct routine maintenance to solve the issues early enough before they worsen.

Some issues can damage your aircon completely such that you may be required to buy a new one. However, if you check the issues highlighted above in time, you will minimize the chances of having frozen aircon coils.