This is a confusion people often have regarding their air conditioning systems. They think that because the AC sends out air that feels like it was blown over ice, ice must be a normal product of how the system operates. This does make some sense—until you understand that an air conditioner works through a process of heat exchange, meaning that it uses refrigerant (a special blend of chemicals) to remove heat from indoors and release it outdoors. Not only does this process not use ice, but it also shouldn’t create any ice.
In other words, if you see ice on your air conditioner, something is wrong.
But what’s actually wrong?
There are a number of reasons frost might form on the internal components of the AC. The usual spot where you’ll see ice is along the evaporator coil and the areas around it. If the evaporator coil begins to lose its ability to absorb heat, the refrigerant inside the coil will stay too cold. This will in turn cause the moisture that condenses on the coil to freeze. The ice will further block heat absorption, causing more ice to grow, eventually leading to a fully iced-over coil. This will stop the AC from cooling the air and may also damage the coil.
There are a number of culprits for the coil losing its heat absorption ability:
- Clogged air filter: The air filter for an AC must be replaced regularly during the summer (every 1 to 3 months, depending on the type of filter). If the filter is clogged, insufficient warm air will pass over the coil, and the refrigerant in it will stay too cold.
- Dirty coil: A layer of grime over the coil will block its ability to draw heat from the air, triggering the icing-over.
- Loss of refrigerant: Refrigerant escaping through leaks is a major problem for the whole air conditioner, and can eventually lead to a broken compressor. Ice on the coil is one of the major warning signs of this, so don’t hesitate to call for professionals when you spot i.
When you’re looking for speedy and effective air conditioning repairs in Westfield and throughout Central and Northern New Jersey, call Air Creations, Inc. We’re have 24/7 emergency service available.
