got home from work a few minutes ago and the house was hot as hell. the ac unit was on but no cold air was coming out. the lines are all covered with ice. is it just froze up, or do i need to get a repair man out to the house in the morning
2006-08-03 15:17:00 · 14 answers · asked by smallblockford1000 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
If I were you I would just burn down your house and throw that guy down the street in the fire to. He's use to the heat!!!!
2006-08-03 16:53:28 · answer #1 · answered by Gamble 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A dirty condensor coil (outside) will NEVER cause a unit to freeze up. And the people that suggest cleaning it with water once a month are completely wrong. The water washes most of the dirt off but the remaining dirt is mud and once it dries it will not come out with water. Eventually all of these cleanings will result in a very premature clogged condenser.
Airboy is right: Airflow or Freon.
When you see ice, turn off the unit immediately. Turn the fan to on and let the ice melt completely. Depending on the ice buildup, this can take several hours. Ice indicates that there could be liquid refrigerant getting back to your compressor. Compressors can not pump liquid and could break a valve. In most cases though the liquid refrigerant gets into the compressor and mixes with the compressor oil. This causes a foam and the oil and refrigerant is pushed out of the compressor. Eventually your compressor will run low on oil and lock-up the compressor motor which will then need to be replaced.
Two simple tests. Tests must be done after the ice has completely melted
1. Check the temperature difference of the air going into the unit at the filter and the air comming out the vents. After the unit has been running for at least 5 minutes.
If the temp is less than 16 degrees, you have a refrigerant problem. If the temperature difference is more than 20 degrees you have an air flow problem. Tests must be done after the ice has completely melted.
2. Turn on the unit and go to the outside condenser. Find the insulated larger pipe and find an area that is not insulated or you can push back the insulation from the end to give you enough space to grab it with your hand.
After about five minutes of run time, grab the pipe. If the pipe is cool to warm to the touch, you have a refrigerant problem. If the pipe is cold or very cold, you have an airflow problem.
Airflow problems
First check the filter. It is unbelievable to me that so many of the units I have worked on where frozen up only because the filter was dirty.
Check for airflow when you first turn on the unit. If it seems normal out of all of the vents then it is probably not a duct problem but more than likely a dirty evaporator (inside coil) and needs to be cleaned. However what appears to be normal airflow is not an indication of proper airflow. For example I had a walk in refrigerator icing up. What I found was a bag covering part of the coil even though the airflow seemed normal.
If you find a dirty filter, try running the unit again during a time where you will be at home so you can turn off the unit if it freezes up.
If its a Freon or airflow problem, call a technician.
2006-08-03 18:38:45 · answer #2 · answered by foy_d 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never been to hell, but I get the picture.
Turn your compressor off immediately. Best way is to hit the breaker. Continue to run the air handler only (turn fan setting to on vs. automatic) and get something under your air handler evaporator coil to catch the water as it thaws. (towels or a tub)
Two main causes for freezing are lack of air across the evaporator coil and lack of refrigerant. Without a set of guages, and the knowledge to use them, your service tech will have to make the determination on the refrigerant levels. But you can do some investigating on the air side.
The evaporator coil freezes up when there is not enough air moving across it to raise the temperature. Here are some things to look for:
Is your filter loaded or plugged?
Is there a collapsed duct leading into the return, or out of the top of the air handler?
Is the evaporator coil plugged with mold and/or debris?
Is there plenty of air coming out when you hold your hand next to an a/c vent?
Has a piece of ductboard or debris worked loose and is now blocking the evaporator coil?
If the coil is dirty, proper cleaning is an expensive ordeal and requires the removal of the evaporator coil.This procedure is only advised for units 5 years old or less. If you can swing it, and the equipment is 10 years old or more, at least consider new equipment if that coil is really plugged.
2006-08-03 15:39:14 · answer #3 · answered by Elwood Blues 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If this is a window unit you may have had the fan speed set too low and with the heat and high humidity there was not enough air going across the condenser coils to cool them off causing the unit to become very inefficient. The condenser could also be blocked with dirt.
If this is a central unit the filter could be blocked, dirt on the "A" coils or the condenser could be blocked with dirt, grass clippings etc. etc.. The condenser fan may not be running or running too slow( bad run capacitor). The last possibility and the first on everyones list (but not on a good technician's list) it may be low in refrigerant.
2006-08-03 16:34:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say turn off the unit. use a hair dryer to melt the ice. then start it up again. if it is central air and not a window unit check your filters and your fan. if you do not have positive air flow the cold air will stay near the unit and freeze it up.
hope this helps.
2006-08-03 15:28:19 · answer #5 · answered by jardensyn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Clean it!!!! Out of the two window units I have the NEWEST is fom 1983. But I clean mine 2-3 times a year
2006-08-03 15:34:20 · answer #6 · answered by Maxwell Smart(ypants) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check the heat exchanger coil. It's probably frozen over to the point air won't blow through it. Let it defrost and see if it starts working again. And check the coils for dirt buildup, can cause the freezing thing too..
2006-08-03 15:22:29 · answer #7 · answered by fishing66833 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn it off for a couple of hours, see if the lines don't defrost. Make sure you don't blow any fuses, which if the lines are frozen it easily can overheat. If that doesn't work call a HVAC man...
2006-08-03 15:27:03 · answer #8 · answered by 345Grasshopper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's possible for a/c to freeze the condencer must be dirty blow it out it is the fins on the back of the a/c that looks like a radiator
2006-08-03 15:22:00 · answer #9 · answered by mac 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it just froze up-run it on fan on low till the icemelts, then try to get it serviced
2006-08-03 15:33:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋