does anyone know why an air conditioner freezes up? And what shall I do about it?

Answer 1

freeze up is caused by a few things.
1 Dirty air filter or a forgotten air filter somewhere else in system...check your air filter and if it isnt at your indoor unit check the indoor unit for a forgoten 1 especially if its electronic style there is the main filter about 4 inches wide but there is also a pre- filter about the size of a window screen.
2. blower motor is going bad and after up to 15 mins or so stops causing loss of heat pick up converting your ac coil into a freezer coil.... easy to diagnose.. turn the fan switch to the on position instead of auto at your thermostat and let it run continously after an hour you will have answered this..motor still running another problem if not you can replace it by pulling old and going to a supply house that sells retail like Grainger's.
3. plugged ac coil on indoor unit wheither the filter has been replaced regularly or not some paricles get thru n over time collect on the entering side of the coil and it looks like your lint trap for your dryer.... AC coils are designed to be removed for servicing though there is a myrid of ways 2 most common types are up-flow and counterflow(down) either one look at where refrigerant coils go in this is a door either fatory or field made out of sheetmetal. typical 4 -6 screws hold it and by pulling outward on refrigerant lines the entire coil can be slid half way out to allow you to look eather at top in counterflow or up from bottom in up flow.. if dirty it is just like your lint trap it can be cleaned with hand to pull loose stuff and though there is commercial cleaners i use available i recommend home owners use a 50/50 mix of degreser dish soap like dawn in a spray bottle to clean coil n gently rinse with controlled hose into a bucket.
4. final solutions - and the one taken way too fast by most ac mechanics to get onto the next call is low on refrigerant. Not every unit that is freezing up is low on R-22 (refrigerant). if it is low on charge this too can be diagnosed easily..wait tilll the indoor unit completly thaws (1 hour with fan in on position typically, longer if the ice got all the way to the outdoor unit) then start the ac n hold the 2 lines insulated line should feel like that cold beverage straight out of the fridge after 5 mins. If it remains normal or starts to show signs of frost call a mechanic as the only way to buy refrigerant now is with a CFC license thats to the clean air act.
hope this helps.

Answer 2

this occurs in humid climates when insufficient air passes through the cooling coil in your air conditioner. As the air cools, it condenses moisture which generally drips down into a tray. or out the window...etc.

If this water is not expelled properly, or if there is not enough air flow over the coils, the air conditioner will continue to cool and freeze the water.

Recipe:

To thaw a frozen air conditioner. turn the fan on high, not cool...fan only. Or let the air conditioner sit off for a few hours. To prevent it from happening in the future, make sure the air filter is clean with good air flow. Nothing blocking the vents. The water tray, if it has one, is empty. Or the water is draining correctly.

If the water draining problem continues to cause problems, if it's a window unit- replace it. If it is central AC, call a professional- something may not be working correctly, the ducts may be clogged, or the system may not be sized correctly for your house.

Answer 3

The first thing to check is the filter. If it is clogged not enough air get thhrough and it will feeze. If the filter is OK have the refrigerant checked. Doesn't seem logical but if it is low it will cause freezing. Our does this sometimes when the humidity is very high. Weturn it off but leave the fan on to thaw and dy the coil.

Answer 4

It is most likely overworking itself. Check to make sure the filters are clean and any Ice build up is melted off the unit before restarting it. Don't set it on High. It will cool more efficiently and without over working the unit if you set it for a moderate temperature. Good Luck! =)

Answer 5

Ours does that all the time too. It's when it's been working too hard. You have to give it a break for a few minutes, even on the hot, hot days. Just leave it off for a while until it thaws out.

Answer 6

It is low on freon. You need to have it recharged and the leak fixed.