Pepperell Homeowner is Mystified

A homeowner in Pepperell, MA contacted us. He was baffled by a build-up of ice on his air conditioner’s outdoor unit. It may seem crazy for ice to be building up when the weather outside is 90+ degrees, however ice on your air conditioner’s unit is indicative of a common problem.

Low Refrigerant Leads To Ice Build-Up

Ice on your air conditioner’s outdoor unit results from the refrigerant inside reaching a temperature that is below freezing. This can cause serious damage to the system, which should be turned off as soon as you notice the problem.

One of the most common causes of this icy build-up is low refrigerant, resulting from a leak. Air passing over the system’s coils causes condensation to form, removing the moisture from the air. In a well-functioning unit, the condensation runs into a collector pan and drains away. However, if there is not enough refrigerant it will not flow properly through the coil, resulting in ice. A trained technician can confirm the problem, identify and repair the leak.

Dirty Air Filter Or Evaporator Coil May Also Be The Problem

If the air filter is too dirty, the air flowing over the evaporator coil will be restricted, which can also result in ice building up. Try changing the air filter and then turning the unit back on after the ice has melted. If no new ice forms, this was likely the problem. Regularly changing the air filter and having the evaporator coils cleaned or replaced by a professional can eliminate this problem.

Supply Grills Being Closed.

Customers try to save energy by closing grills in unused rooms causing a decrease the airflow through the air conditioning system. Most systems are designed to have all the grills open and actually can cause the system to use more energy

One of our HVAC service technicians was sent to the home in Pepperell. As suspected, the culprit was leaky refrigerant. The technician was able to locate and repair the source of the leak and the only ice the family is seeing now is in their freezer.

The post Ice Forming on Air Conditioner appeared first on Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. – Nashua, NH.

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