Ice on your AC unit is a sign of serious issues. We are not the type to alarm our clientele just to scare them into scheduling unnecessary air conditioning services. We’d never even dream of doing so, honest. However, this is one situation that we like to explain from time to time, as it can be so deceiving at first glance. After all, why should you be concerned about an air conditioner with ice? It’s supposed to be cold, right? Well, yes, but it is supposed to cool the air — not freeze water. This begs 2 questions. Why is it so cold, and where the heck is this water coming from?
We’ll answer both questions in the following post. Before we do, however, we just want to remind you that any irregularity with the operation of your air conditioning services in Denver should cause enough for concern. You don’t want to ignore what you think is a “minor” problem, only to have that problem lead to serious consequences down the road. That is why we like to remind our homeowners that there really is no such thing as a “minor” problem at all!
The Water Comes from the Air
Yes, that’s right — the air! It is not some sort of magic trick or anything like that. It’s just condensation. We may have fairly dry air around here, but that does not mean that the air in your home is very dry. You may choose to humidify it with a whole-house humidifier, in fact, or maybe just the amount of people living in your home, showering, and cooking, adds some humidity to the air. Whatever the case, the ice formed on your air conditioner is the result of moisture from the air getting too cold.
When your air conditioner evaporates refrigerant in the evaporator coil in order to cool your home, it also draws some humidity out of the air. That humidity will then condense on the coil itself before dripping off onto into the condensate drain assembly — normally. There are few problems that can cause it to freeze up on the coil before doing so.
Air Conditioning Services: Dirty Components and Refrigerant Leaks
We love reminding clients to change their air filters regularly, and this is just one more reason to do so. If the air filter in your air conditioning system is too dirty, it can significantly reduce airflow throughout the system. When that happens, the evaporator coil will fail to draw a sufficient amount of heat out of the air passing over it. The coil then gets too cold and can cause icing. If the coil itself is dirty, then it won’t be able to leech off enough hot air, either. The ice only further insulates the coil, further exacerbating the problem.
Of course, you could also have a low refrigerant level in your system. This indicates a refrigerant leak, as your system does not consume refrigerant the way that a furnace consumes gas. If you continue to run an AC with low refrigerant levels, then it is very possible that you will do serious damage to your system. In fact, it may break down entirely on you.
Do you need help with your air conditioning services? Don’t hesitate to contact us here!
Luke Cooper is the General Manager of the Cooper Green team and son of Gary Cooper, owner and CEO of Cooper HVAC. After years in the field, Luke took his talents to management and has helped thousands of Colorado homeowners during hot summers and frigid winters. His decade of experience in the field and guiding the company makes him one of the most knowledgeable individuals in Colorado on HVAC, plumbing, electrical and other home services.
