What to Do If You Find Ice on Your AC Unit
It's the middle of summer and you go to turn on your air conditioner, but it doesn't work. You check your AC unit and find it covered in ice! While it may be a shock to see your AC frozen in summer, it's actually a pretty common problem. Ice can form on any AC unit in any weather, and can be an indicator of serious damage to your system.
What Can Cause Ice Buildup? Ice buildup can be caused by many things, but the most common problems are either restricted airflow (such as a dirty filter or blocked ductwork) or low/leaking refrigerant.
Can I Clean It Myself? You can melt the ice and perform some small repairs and inspections, but if you suspect the problem may be with the refrigerant or blower fan you’ll need the assistance of a Utah HVAC contractor. Here are some things you can do yourself if you find ice on your AC unit:
1 - GET RID OF THE ICE
Turn off and disconnect the AC unit to let the ice melt. This may take a few hours, depending on the temperature. Keep a close eye on the condensate drain to make sure the water from the thawing ice is running outside instead of into the drain pain.
2 - CHECK THE FILTER
Check to make sure the unit’s filter doesn’t need changing or cleaning, depending on the type.
3 - CLEAN THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE
First clean the outside of your unit, including the cooling fins and fan blades, with water from a hose at medium pressure. After this, clean the coils inside unit. Spray them with coil cleaner and use a scrub brush to scrub off any dirt. Finish by spraying the coils again with warm water to wash off the cleaning solution and wipe them dry. You can also check the fins inside with a flashlight. If the light passes through them, they’re clean. If not, you can clean them with a wet/dry vacuum or a low pressure air line.
4 - CHECK THE DUCTWORK
Look around your house for any closed vents or registers that you can open. Inspect them for leaks, bends, or breakage. If all is well, open one of the registers and check inside. If there is so much dust that it is blocking the flow of air you’ll need to have your air ducts cleaned. You can contact a trained air duct cleaner, or you can work on them yourself.
If you experience any issues with your AC unit after following these steps, contact a Utah air conditioning repair expert at Anyhour services today. We’re happy to help!
Jul 14th 2017
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