Is your home’s air conditioning system failing to cool the inside of your home or shutting off too early? You may have checked your outdoor unit only to see ice built up on the evaporator coil, which is the copper tubing coming from the home to the unit. When ice builds up on the outside of the evaporator coils, it can be due to a number of problems which often need correction. However the iced up evaporator coils can help tell you that there is a problem with the air conditioning system. Hal Mechanical will walk through the different causes that can affect the evaporator coils and why it ices up.
Clogged or Dirty Air Filter
The intake filters inside your home plays a major role of the health of the entire HVAC system. If these filters become too full of dust and contaminants, they become clogged and restrict the air flow. When the filters become clogged, the air restriction can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. Being in southern Nevada, the dust often clogs filters quickly. As a result, homeowners must change filters more often to ensure the health of their HVAC system.
Closing Air Conditioning Supply Vents
Some homeowners may have closed the air supply vents or registers in certain areas of the home that are not occupied frequently to promote cooler air in the high traffic areas. This is a mistake. Air balance is essential. Closing supply vents restricts the air flow which in turn can lead to the evaporator coils freezing up. Other times the supply vents may have gotten so dirty that they built up a good layer of dust. Therefore, in some cases the vents need to be cleaned. Make sure to inspect the supply vents. Either open or clean them to allow proper air flow and balance.
AC Refrigerant Leaks
The air conditioning refrigerant should never deplete since it recycles itself. However, if the refrigerant is low due to a leak within the system, it often reveals itself by freezing the evaporator coils. Often an HVAC technician is needed to locate the leak and repair it. Of course, they are the only one who is able to refill the refrigerant.
Bad AC Blower Motor
If the blower is failing, the air conditioner isn’t supplying the air throughout the home properly. Without proper air flow and balance the evaporator coils will often ice up. The evaporator coils are designed to absorb the heat out of the air. When the air flow is restricted, there isn’t enough air to absorb heat. This is why the coils tend to ice up. The HVAC technician can inspect the blower and see if it is the center of the problem.
Need to Clean AC Coils
There are two evaporator coils. One is on the outside of the home and is the one that usually ices up. There is also an internal evaporator coil system. The internal evaporator coil is often a “V” shaped component that contains copper pipe and a ventilation system. The internal evaporator coils occasionally need to be cleaned. When they become too dirty it can cause the exterior evaporator coil to ice up. An HVAC technician can inspect the internal evaporator coils and clean them if needed.
Central Air Conditioning Troubleshooting, Diagnosis, Repair & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada
If your evaporator coils ice up and the air conditioning system fails to cool your home, contact Hal Mechanical and schedule our services today.