Good HVAC maintenance helps address issues before they become a problem. Yet, even with the best maintenance, sometimes issues can creep up on homeowners. One of these issues is the ice on your HVAC unit.
Ice can build up in your HVAC system causing damage and poor functionality. Anytime you experience ice on your HVAC unit, contact J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida to schedule HVAC repair. Don’t let a problem go unaddressed, which can cause even more damage. Take action to fix the issue right away!
Reasons for Ice on Your Air Conditioning Unit
Two main problems cause ice to form on an air conditioning unit. Both problems can lead to additional damage to your HVAC unit and should be addressed immediately. If you notice ice in or around your HVAC unit, shut the unit off and inspect the problem. Regardless of which problem is causing the ice to build up, it won’t repair itself.
1 – Refrigerant Leak
When your air conditioning unit doesn’t have enough refrigerant, then your unit will freeze up. Refrigerant is a compound that works together with the evaporator coils and compressor to create cool air from your AC unit. Without refrigerant, the air will not cool properly.
Refrigerant never runs out if your AC unit is working correctly. The only time the refrigerant in your AC unit gets low is if there is a leak. This means that if the refrigerant is low, merely adding more refrigerant won’t fix the problem.
In order to remedy low refrigerant, an HVAC professional must repair the leak. Once the leak is repaired, the refrigerant can then be refilled. If everything else in your HVAC system is working properly, this should stop the ice from forming in your HVAC system.
2 – Blocked Evaporator Coils
The job of the evaporator coil is to house refrigerant and manage heat transfer as air passes through the system. The inside of the evaporator coil is very cold. The blower moves air over the evaporator coils where the air is cooled before it flows into your home through the air vents.
Because the temperature inside evaporator coils is so cold, if the airflow is blocked, the system will freeze. If it freezes, air cannot move through because it is blocked with ice. This means the air coming out of your vents will be a very low flow.
Airflow can be blocked for different reasons. First, dirty coils may block airflow. Also, a dirty air filter can stop or block airflow. A broken or damaged fan or coils also leads to blocked airflow. Regular cleaning and maintenance of your HVAC system help reduce the amount of dirt in your unit, which helps avoid frozen evaporator coils.
What to Do if You Have Ice on Your HVAC Unit
The first thing you should do if you have ice on your HVAC unit turns it off. Even though your system may continue to run, allowing it to stay on can lead to costly damage. Don’t make this mistake!
Second, you should call your local HVAC professionals. At J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing, we offer HVAC repair to Jacksonville, Florida, and the surrounding areas. Our expert technicians are trained to identify the core problem and implement the correct repair. For example, we will repair the leak before we add refrigerant.
While you wait for the HVAC professionals to arrive, you can act. Start by uncovering both the supply vents and return vents. The supply vents are the vents where the air comes out of your HVAC unit into your home. The return vents are the vents that pull air from your home back through your HVAC system. Both need to have air flowing freely in order for your system to work properly. Move furniture, curtains, and another décor so that the vents are not blocked.
A dirty air filter leads to many different HVAC issues. You can let your HVAC professional change or clean your filter, or you can change or clean the air filter yourself. Either way, if your HVAC system is freezing or having other problems, changing the air filter is a good idea.
Stop the Freeze
Don’t ignore ice on your HVAC system. It will not repair itself. In fact, it will most likely lead to additional damage. If your HVAC unit is over 15 years old and you’re experiencing ice on your system, consider replacing your unit.
Especially if your unit uses R-22 refrigerant, Freon, it’ll be hard to replace as new regulations phase it out of use. It may be most cost-effective to update your HVAC unit with a new, energy-efficient model. The HVAC professionals at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing work with our clients to offer the best advice for your home, including when a new system is a better solution than costly repairs.
Contact the experts at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida for HVAC repairs, maintenance, inspections, and replacements. We have over 50 years of experience providing heating and air conditioning solutions for our local clients. We offer an experience you can trust!
