A frozen AC system is the last thing you want to deal with during the heat of the summer in New Jersey.
2 main reasons your AC could be freezing over are:
- Low refrigerant
- Low airflow
Below, we’ll break down each of these in more detail and help you prevent this problem in the future, so you don’t end up with a frozen AC again.
Potential Issue #1: Low refrigerant
Your AC actually cools your home by drawing heat out of your home.
he heat from your home’s air is absorbed by refrigerant and carried outside where it’s dumped.
If your AC is low on refrigerant, it can cause part of your indoor unit (the evaporator coil) to freeze.
Other signs that your system is low on refrigerant include:
- Significant increase in cooling costs
- Air coming from your vents isn’t cold
- Hissing or bubbling sound when your AC is running
- Refrigerant lines (outside) are frozen
The fix: Hire a professional to come repair or replace your refrigerant line and refill your refrigerant.
Note: If refrigerant levels are low, it means there is a leak, so you should be wary of any tech that refills your refrigerant without first repairing the leak. If the leak isn’t fixed first, you will just keep spending money to refill your refrigerant.
Potential Issue #2: Low airflow
Another reason your AC’s evaporator coil could be freezing is low airflow. As we mentioned above, your AC system cools your home by pulling in warm air from your home and stripping it of heat. If there isn’t enough warm air being sucked into your AC and blown over the evaporator coil, it will freeze.
Reduced airflow to your AC could be a result of:
- Dirty air filter
- Blocked or closed vents
The fix:
1. Check your air filter and replace it if it’s dirty. During peak cooling season (the summer), you should check your air filter every month and replace it if it’s dirty.
Example of a clean filter (left) vs. a dirty filter (right).
2. Open all return and supply vents and ensure that no vents are being blocked (furniture, curtains, etc.)
Ready to un-freeze your AC? Hire NJ’s best: Us!
If you can’t quite figure out why your AC is freezing up or you need a professional to repair your refrigerant lines, schedule an appointment with us!
Prevent a frozen AC in the future: Annual maintenance
If you want to prevent your AC from freezing over in the future, you should invest in annual AC maintenance.
During an AC check-up, a technician will check your AC system, including the refrigerant levels, air filter and vents, to prevent you from having to deal with issues like a frozen AC system during the months when you need your AC the most.
Our maintenance plans include:
- Two maintenance visits a year ($228.98)
- Priority customer
- 24-hour emergency service