Why Your A/C Freezes in Hot Weather

Problems with cooling systems tend to show up more frequently when they’re working harder, and A/C freezes are no different. An air conditioner will freeze when it’s not getting enough air going over the evaporator coil inside the air handler or when it’s low on refrigerant.

In most cases, a frozen A/C is easy to fix. Your first signs may be frost on the outdoor condenser, a warming home in spite of the A/C running, or low airflow coming from the registers. If any of these signs are present, look inside the air handler for signs of water, frost, or ice.

Low Air Flow

Check the condition of the air filter. If it’s clogged with dust, replace it. Once you’ve thawed the evaporator coil by blowing hot air over it with a hair dryer, the A/C should start when you turn the thermostat back on.

Look for excessive amounts of dust, mold, or a biological growth on the evaporator coil. If you can’t reach the coil, you’ll have to have an HVAC professional inspect the coil. Normally the coil sits at the base of the HVAC unit and it looks like an “A.” A soft brush attachment for the vacuum may remove the dust. Home improvement stores sell coil cleaner that may also remove the dust, as well as any mold or biofilm growth.

If you see evidence of biological growths, contact your HVAC technician to prevent such growths in the future that cause A/C freezes. UV (ultraviolet) lights inside the air handler will prevent mold and other biological films on the evaporator coil.

Low Refrigerant

If the filter and evaporator coil are clean, you may not have enough refrigerant in your air conditioner. An HVAC technician will test the refrigerant pressure. If it’s too low, he will look for leaks before refilling the system. If there are no leaks, odds are that the contractor who installed the system didn’t add enough to start with.

If you’ve experienced A/C freezes in the past or want to avoid it altogether, contact Roth Heating & Cooling, providing HVAC services for Portland-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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