With summer right around the corner, air conditioner usage will be on the rise. All homeowners need to be aware of the problems that can plague their air conditioners so that they can maintain a cool and comfortable living environment.
Ice formation on the evaporator coil is something that happens to many air conditioning systems. While it might not seem like a big deal, frozen evaporator coils can cause serious damage to your cooling system.
If you are able to recognize the reasons why an evaporator coil freezes, you can take action to prevent this problem from affecting your air conditioner in the future.
1. Low Refrigerant
The level of refrigerant inside your air conditioning system has a direct impact on the health of the evaporator coils. Refrigerant plays a role in the transfer of heat within your AC system's outdoor compressor.
Low refrigerant levels can cause heat transfer to occur too early, exposing your evaporator coils to frigid temperatures. This will cause the coils to freeze, reducing the efficiency of your cooling system.
2. Dirty Coils
Dust also has the potential to wreak havoc on your air conditioning system. Air from the outside environment is pulled into the compressor and used to cool your home. It's critical that you have a quality air filter installed in your AC system to help filter out any dirt or contaminants found in the air supply.
Evaporator coils are usually moist as a result of condensation that occurs during the transfer of heat. Dust particles can stick to the moist outer surfaces of the evaporator coil, creating a buildup of debris that prevents heat from escaping the evaporator coil over time.
Dirty evaporator coils often freeze over and cease to function properly. Be sure that you are replacing your air filter often to eliminate freezing caused by a buildup of dust on the evaporator coil.
3. Poor Airflow
Air must be moving through your AC system continually to maintain the right temperature balance inside the compressor. If the airflow becomes restricted in any way, the evaporator coil can start to freeze.
Poor airflow can be caused by a number of problems within your AC system. Your blower motor may be failing, your air filter may be clogged, or the electrical voltage to your fan may be compromised.
An HVAC technician will be able to identify the cause of your poor airflow and make the repairs needed to prevent your evaporator coil from freezing over in the future. For more information, contact Plisko Service Solutions.