One of the very most frustrating problems with a window air conditioning equipment is if it starts to ice up. For who owns the air conditioner is can be perplexing.
When this problem occurs most people immediately believe that it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. More regularly the cause is the result of other difficulties.
It is most often the consequence of poor airflow.
Any time the airflow through an air conditioner is fixed the cooling system becomes affected. If taken to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil can be changed. Should they drop too low the cooling coils surface temperature can drop below the dew point temperature of the room. When this happens the cooling coil will quickly operate as a refrigerator instead of an air conditioner. Instead of simply cooling the air it will collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it will appear as ice.
The principal job of an air conditioner would be to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the area air. By detatching the moisture from the room air it gives us a sense of comfort. To get this done although temperature of the cooling coil should always be greater than the room’s dew point. If it is permitted to drop below the dew point the air conditioner will begin to produce ice.
With this information at heart the following are several problems that can lead to your air conditioner icing up:
1. Dirty filter.
To avoid this replace or clean your filter every couple of weeks of the cooling season. If a smoker do it weekly. To completely clean filter remove from air conditioning equipment, wet thoroughly, and lay in bottom of a sink. Sprinkle detergent (laundry detergent works well) onto filter surface. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Add tepid to warm water to sink in order that filter is totally covered. Soak for quarter-hour. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.
2. grandeairsolutions.com or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioning equipment requires regular maintenance. Usually every several years. Every year will be best, but this can be costly unless you do-it-yourself. During cleaning the cooling coil should be degreased and washed to remove accumulated dirt and debris. Degreasing is important to remove any coatings on the coil. If not done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They will build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too much time this can result in the cooling coil becoming partially blocked. This can produce a lower airflow.
3. Dirty or blocked condenser coil.
The condenser coil is the one guiding the air conditioning equipment. Its job is to dissipate the heat that is being removed from the room. Similar to the cooling coil it too must be cleaned every few years. Because the condenser is on the outside of the house it becomes exposed to lots of dirt, pollen, and smog. Since airflow direction is from inside to outside it is the inside surface of the condenser that becomes dirty. Therefore to clean this part the air conditioning equipment must be completely disassembled. If not cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here may also burn up the compressor. Before this happens though the lowering of airflow will affect the entire operation. This can result in the compressor efficiency dropping, the inner pressure-temperature relationships being affected, and the resultant production of ice on the cooling coil.
4. Inefficient compressor.
As describe above an inefficient compressor can cause icing up. If the compressor struggles to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil may not get cold enough to shut off the cold control. It can hover just above the cut off point. At these times the cooling coil will quickly refrigerate. Ice on the cooling coil will result. If the compressor itself reaches fault the air conditioner will have to be replaced. But note that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors if they were actually one of the other faults discussed in this post.
5. Not enough refrigerant. Too much refrigerant.
Both scenarios can lead to and icing condition. If your air conditioning equipment was repaired recently suspect an excessive amount of refrigerant. Mixed with an airflow problem this is often difficult to diagnose. Or even repaired recently then suspect airflow problems before considering a refrigerant imbalance.
6. Outdoor temperature too low.
Icing can occur if the outside temperature falls below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. If the outside temperature is too low the air conditioner pressure-temperatures can be affected. When the outside temperature falls the cooling coil temperature will also fall. So much that the coil will refrigerate the area air. This will result in the cooling coil beginning to produce ice. This issue is more frequent in the fall. If it is hot during the day but cold at night suspect this problem because the reason behind icing up. If this problem is suspected try running the air conditioning equipment in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This can circulate the area air without cooling it, while bringing in a small amount of outside air at night time.