A common problem with air conditioners occurs when the evaporator coil freezes up. An A/C with frozen coils won’t be able to cool your home adequately, or may not work at all. If you find your central A/C system has frozen evaporator coils often, damage can occur. Read on to learn some common causes of frozen evaporator coils and troubleshooting tips.
Lack of Airflow Across the Evaporator Coil
In a central A/C, the evaporator coil absorbs heat from the air as pressure is eased on refrigerant in the coil. This allows it to turn into a gas and cool down. If not enough air is passing across the coil, the refrigerant won’t absorb that heat. Its temperature will continue dropping and the coil may freeze up. Check for a clogged air filter or dirty evaporator coil. Inspect household registers and vents to make sure they’re not blocked. Kinked or otherwise defective ductwork can also restrict airflow.
Low Refrigerant Level
If your A/C is losing refrigerant or didn’t have enough installed in the first place, this could cause frozen evaporator coils. This is because a lower amount of refrigerant is being allowed to expand the same amount, which will increase its cooling. This can result in airborne moisture freezing as it comes in contact with the coil. This should be addressed by a professional.
Overworking Your A/C
If it’s excessively hot outside, but you’re setting the thermostat to a very cool temperature, you may be asking the cooling system to do too much. This could lower pressure in the system and result in a freeze-up. You can address this by not making unreasonable demands on your A/C.
Mechanical Defects
Any number of mechanical problems can cause the evaporator coil to freeze. These include a kinked refrigerant line, a busted or defective blower fan, or a filter that’s clogged. Any of these circumstances can alter pressure in the system and cause a freeze-up. Contact an A/C technician.
If none of these steps work to address your frozen evaporator coils, contact the trusted HVAC professionals in Northwest Arkansas at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal.
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 frozen evaporator coils and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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