Ice in Summer Is Good, Ice on Your Air Conditioner Is Not

A nice cold drink over ice is a perfect way to cool off on a hot Arkansas afternoon but when ice on your air conditioner appears that means your home is not going to be cool. The ice is an indicator that your HVAC system has a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.

There are a number of places that ice can appear on your cooling system and it should always be taken seriously. Whether you see it on the pipes leading to your outdoor condenser unit or on the coils inside, it is an indication that something is wrong. You need to turn the unit off immediately to avoid doing any further damage to the heating and cooling system.

If the ice on your air conditioner is on the indoor coil, it could be because the air outside is too cool to be operating your A/C or because you are operating the A/C with the windows open. The ice could also be a sign that you are keeping the temperature on the thermostat too low or that you have a clogged air filter. These issues can be easily corrected. Other problems however will require the assistance of a skilled technician.

Some of the more serious problems indicated by ice on your air conditioner include:

• fan motor running too slow
• dirty blower wheel
• dirty air conditioning coil
• a refrigerant leak or low refrigerant
• locked up compressor
• fan belt has snapped.

If you suspect any of these problems, it is critical that you shutdown the system and call in a professional who can diagnose what has gone wrong. If you need  help figuring out why there is ice on your air conditioner or heat pump in Bentonville, Fayetteville or Rogers contact the skilled professionals at Paschal Heat, Air and Geothermal for prompt service. Paschal has been taking care of the heating and cooling needs of northwest Arkansas since 1968.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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