If you’re spending the summer in the High Desert with the air conditioning turned up high, you may have noticed a seriously strange problem: your air conditioning unit is freezing over and breaking down at regular intervals. At Elite Climate Control, we see this problem frequently in Apple Valley, Victorville, and other nearby areas. Here’s what you need to know.
Air Conditioners Can Work Too Hard
The reason air conditioners can freeze in the hot summer lies in the way that the evaporator coil works. This coil is designed to siphon off heat from your indoor air and leak it into the outdoors. It does this by cooling itself down, which attracts the heat (heat always seeks equilibrium and will flow from warmer to colder areas). Presto! Your air becomes cooler.
Evaporators, at times, do their jobs too well and cool down too fast for proper heat transfer. Low refrigerant levels can cause the refrigerant to move too fast, and sometimes there is simultaneously an airflow clog – whatever the reason. As a result, the coil freezes up, drawing in water from the air and turning it into ice. Not only can this cause your air conditioner to stop working until it melts, but it can also cause long-term damage and defects.
If you have noticed that your air conditioner does not seem to be working well lately, stop and look for this freezing issue, no matter how the weather conditions are outside.
It Can Be Fixed
If you notice ice forming on your air conditioner, specifically on your outside unit, give Elite Climate Control a call. We can stop on by and run a few quick tests to see what has gone wrong and what needs to be adjusted. It is a good idea to regularly check your vents and openings for any obvious clogs and blockages.
Our technicians can look for more subtle issues, test your refrigerant levels, and fix the problem to get your HVAC system back to normal, healthy cycles. We can also advise you on best air conditioner practices and maintenance to help prevent this odd problem from recurring in the future.
