You’re sitting at home, and something isn’t right; the air is usually chillier than this, but today it’s not even cool enough, and you’re getting sweaty.
Chances are your AC is frozen, and the cool air you’re fond of is just now air or even warm. AC units freezing is more common than you think and could come up due to several mechanical issues that you can or cannot avoid. You’re probably thinking of asking a friend, “how do I know if my air conditioner is frozen?”
Experts at Anderson Air have numerous ways to tell if your ac is frozen before you call your trusted technician to tackle your Air conditioning unit.
Here’s how to tell if your ac is frozen:
If your AC has warm air coming out of it
Warm air is usually the first indicative sign of how to know if ac is frozen.
Step close to your AC unit, and if there’s warm air and not cool air, that’s a sign clear as day that your AC unit is frozen and needs fixing to get back to blowing cool air.
It is important to note that a frozen AC unit isn’t dying; it’s only a malfunction. With a few touch-ups from a professional, all will be well.
Also, Read: Does Freezing Food Produce Kill Bacteria?
If your AC has dirty filters
Be sure to take a look at your air filters.
The air filter keeps your air clean before it reaches you. These too get dirty after a particular time, and the residue affects airflow within your AC unit.
Look at your air filter and see if it’s dirty. A dirty filter makes for a valid telltale of a frozen AC unit, and you can have this cleaned to have your air conditioner good as new.
Air filters are bound to get dirty; therefore, you should carry out regular cleanings and checks.
If your AC has dirty evaporator coils
Evaporating coils are responsible for absorbing the hot air from your rooms and work in connection with the condenser coil to exchange heat and give off cool air.
A frozen AC unit is likely to have dirty coils that hinder the process of heat exchange. In this case, you’ll need to clean your evaporator coils of any dirt, and this should allow your unit to function as expected.
Dirt isn’t the only obstruction on evaporator coils. Even mold grows on coils and has the same negative effect as dirt. Look out for it too.
If the evaporator coil is frozen, please avoid using your air conditioner, as this will strain your compressor and lead to burnout.
If your AC has ice
Another way to tell if your ac is frozen is if it has ice. Ice is one easy way how to tell if your ac is frozen. Ice on/in a unit isn’t regular and shouldn’t happen. If you see ice, there could be several reasons why.
Icy tubing is easy to find in your frozen Air conditioner. It is pretty straightforward.
When you see it, the ideal approach would be to turn it off and let the ice melt on its own. The ice could take a while to thaw, but it eventually will. Turn your AC unit back on, and if nothing else is damaged, your Air conditioner should do its job again.
If you’ve done all this and normal function hasn’t resumed, there’s probably something else, and you need to reach out to a professional to come to take a look at your unit to avoid any damage.
If it is leaking, it is probably frozen
A leak is another sure sign that your AC is frozen. Leaks and ice melting from components within your unit are both indicators of a frozen unit.
If coolant is leaking, your unit cannot regulate how cold your cooling coil gets. It could drop below freezing temperature hence freezing the entire unit and limiting overall function.
Gas leaks are harmful to human health. A gas-leaking air conditioner poses multiple health side effects to human beings. These include;
- Â Headache and nausea are prevalent problems caused by AC gas leaks
- Â CFCs absorb heat, and extended exposure to pressurized CFCs can lead to frostbite.
Short-term exposure to leaking AC gas leads to problems such as:
- Â Â Â Cracking of the skin
- Â Â Â Slower coordination
- Â Â Â Tremors
- Â Â Â Seizures
- Â Â Â An increased heart rate
- Â Â Â Long term exposure to the Ac gas can lead to critical medical conditions, for example
- Â Â Â Difficulty breathing
- Â Â Â Loss of consciousness
- Â Â Â Cataracts in the eye.
- Â Â Â Skin cancer
- Â Asphyxiation.
Note: If you experience any of those symptoms, dial 911 or visit a nearby hospital to get medical assistance; exposure to leaking gas is harmful to your health.
On the other hand, if it is water leaking, that’s a sign that there’s ice within the unit. How do I know if my air conditioner is frozen? Check for ice. This is another way how to tell if your ac is frozen.
In either case of leakage, we suggest you contact skilled personnel to look at and fix the leak.
If your AC has a hissing sound
Listen to your AC.
You can’t ignore a hissing sound; it can signify freezing in your unit. A properly functioning AC unit doesn’t hiss or bang. This is how you tell if your ac is frozen.
However, this isn’t a guarantee that the unit is frozen; it’s more of an additional way for you to tell that something is going on with your unit and that it should be inspected or serviced.
Conclusion
A frozen AC unit, if undetected, could only lead to more significant problems that would incur avoidable expenses.
Therefore, you must pay attention to your Air conditioner to avoid any issues that could come up.
When you come across a fault you know nothing about, contact an HVAC service to rectify the issue. For example, in the case of a coolant leak, only a licensed professional can fix and replace the coolant.
