During the hottest parts of the year, air conditioners around the Dallas-Fort Worth area are put through their paces, and from time to time will experience malfunctions and breakdowns. One common issue that homeowners may face are frozen air conditioner coils. While there can be several factors that may be causing your air conditioner coils to freeze, including insufficient air flow due to clogged air filters, low levels of refrigerant, or your thermostat is set too low. You may not be a need to call an ac repair company right away. Here are a few easily-performed self-maintenance steps you can employ to fix that air conditioner on your own.
Defrosting a Frozen Air Conditioner Coil
Before you jump headfirst into fixing your air conditioner, you are going to need a few tools and materials to insure the job is done correctly. You are obviously going to need to defrost your air conditioner’s coils, and here are a few things that will help in this task:
- Hair dryer
- Towels
- Furnace/Air conditioning filters
Step 1
Step one will have you turning off your air conditioner completely to allow it to thaw for an extended period of time (often 24 hrs will suffice). To do this, switch the thermostat to the off position. With the thermostat off you can turn your air conditioner to the setting labeled “Fan” to help thaw the frozen air conditioner coils faster. A hair dryer may also help, but remember to use the low temperature setting as high heat could damage the coils.
Step 2
After you have allowed enough time for your air conditioner to thaw, double-check to be certain it is. Also, take notice of any pooled water surrounding your air conditioning unit. Should you find any, absorb it with a towel until the work area is dry.
Step 3
Now you need to go ahead and replace the interior filters associated with your air conditioner. Many units work in conjunction with the heating portion of your furnace, so replacing them involves the same steps as replacing your heating filters—they are one in the same.
Step 4
You are done! The final step in fixing your air conditioner is to turn it on and verify it is working properly. Try to keep an eye on the unit over the next day or two to see if there is further ice build-up. If there is, you may need to request a service call from a reputable DFW ac repair company like Max Mechanical to further inspect your unit for possible refrigerant leaks or to provide a professional cleaning of the coils.
