Dealing With Frost and Ice on Your Air Conditioner

Your air conditioner is one of the hardest working appliances in your home, tasked as it is with keeping your home comfortable in the face of brutal Texas summer weather. Your AC system's tireless efforts can take a toll on its performance and longevity with time — sometimes in ways that might cause concern. For instance, frost and ice can build up on your AC unit after a demanding time spent cooling your home.

Seeing a light coating of frost on your AC system's outdoor cabinet shouldn't be a cause for concern. It's only when large sheets of ice form on the evaporator and condenser coils that heavy frost and ice buildup becomes a concern. Heavy frost and ice growth can stymie your AC system in many ways, from a noticeable drop in cooling performance to emergency repairs and a severely shortened lifespan.

Read on to learn how ice and frost form on your air conditioning system, along with a few ways you can mitigate and even prevent the problem from occurring.

How Does It Happen?

Just like your refrigerator, your air conditioner relies on the basic refrigeration process. This process entails the removal and transfer of latent heat from one place to another, making the conditioned space cooler in the process. But while your refrigerator only has a couple of small, sealed chambers to keep cool, your air conditioner has your entire home to deal with.

The evaporator and condenser coils play a major role in the refrigeration process. As cooled refrigerant passes through the former, it absorbs latent heat in the surrounding air that passes over the coil. This steady flow of air also keeps temperatures on the coil's surface from dipping below freezing. A sudden drop in coil temperatures can cause nearby moisture to freeze and stick on the surface, creating a sheet of frost or ice.

What Causes It?

When it comes to frost and ice buildup on your air conditioner, there are plenty of possible causes to explore. Light frost buildup can happen when your air conditioner is working harder than usual to cool your home. However, extreme examples of ice buildup can happen thanks to the following issues:

• Clogged air filter — A complete blockage can stop air from being drawn into the AC system, causing temperatures at the coil's surface to drop and nearby moisture to freeze into ice.
  
• Malfunctioning blower fan — A blower fan that's on the fritz can also stop airflow in its tracks, making your evaporator coil more vulnerable to frost and ice.
  
• Improper refrigerant charge — Having too much refrigerant due to overcharging or too little refrigerant due to pinhole leaks can lead to ice buildup on your AC system.
  
• Improper equipment size — Having A/C equipment that's too large or too small for your home can lead to a number of problems, including heavy frost and ice formation.
  
• Malfunctioning expansion valve — This crucial valve meters the amount of refrigerant that passes through it. A faulty expansion valve can
  
• Blocked supply registers — Closing off various registers and grilles in areas where cooling isn't needed can also affect airflow throughout the rest of the duct system. Sometimes this can be enough to trigger severe frost and ice buildup.
  

What Can Be Done About It?

The best way to handle a frozen air conditioner is to give it a well-deserved break. Leaving your AC system off for a couple of hours can help unthaw most, if not all, of the ice buildup. Afterwards, your HVAC technician will need to diagnose the underlying causes behind the ice buildup and take measures to correct the problem.

In some cases, the solution is as simple as replacing an air filter or giving the evaporator and condenser coils a thorough cleaning, but other instances might require freon to be added to the system for it to function properly. Chronic cases of ice buildup may only be solved by replacing your entire AC system.

How Can You Prevent It From Happening?

Prevention is always the best policy when it comes to any air conditioning issue. Regularly scheduled maintenance performed by your trusted HVAC technician offers the best way to prevent ice buildup from taking over your AC system. You should have your HVAC technician check the AC system at the start of the cooling season every year.

Also, make sure your air conditioner isn't under too much stress during operation. If the AC system is too small for your home, for instance, it'll need to run harder and longer to deliver the equivalent cooling comfort of a properly sized system. Replacing your undersized AC unit with one matching your home's true cooling needs can help prevent frost and ice buildup.

Don't let ice buildup stand in the way of your home's cooling comfort this summer. The experts at Henry's Service All can help you get your air conditioning system back in order. Contact us today to receive a free estimate.