Central Air Conditioner Freezing Up in Henderson, NV? How to Troubleshoot, Inspect & Fix a Frozen Evaporator Coil & AC Unit

The air conditioner in your home is truly a necessity when you live in hot places like the Las Vegas desert. Keeping up on professional inspectionstune-ups, and maintenance along with the care and cleaning you provide, your air conditioner can last far beyond its expected lifespan and significantly reduce the need for repairs. But air conditioners contain moving parts that allow it to do its job, and when anything has moving parts that is frequently used, it is bound to need some repair. With that in mind, one of the most common issues is the frozen coils homeowners often notice when their air conditioner is not operating efficiently. Today, we at Air Supply Heating and Air Conditioning would like to expound on frozen coils.

How Does Air Conditioning Work?

As previously mentioned many people investigate the cause to an air conditioner that is not operating or faulty and often discover the coils have frozen. Frozen coils are preventing your air conditioner from functioning, and it could be due to a few reasons. The evaporator coils are a primary component to the air conditioner. Inside the coils houses the refrigerant, which absorbs the heat from the air as the air handler blows return air over the coils. After the procedure, the cooler temperature of the return air is sent back to your home’s living spaces. Your air conditioner has multiple uses. It not only keeps your home cool, but it also dehumidifies it. When air is dehumidified, moisture is pulled out of the air. The moisture, or condensation, will sometimes build up on and drip down onto the evaporator coils. Normally, the condensation doesn’t cause any problems as the excess moisture drips into the drip pan and is flushed away. When there is an underling issue, condensation will freeze up and build a layer of ice on your evaporator coils.

Reasons Evaporator Coil Could Be Freezing Up

Realizing the evaporator coils have frozen is a byproduct of a handful of problems, the most common issues include:
Level of refrigerant is low: Typically, low refrigerant levels, points to a leak in the line. The air conditioner needs proper refrigerant levels. Without adequate levels of refrigerant, it lacks the ability to absorb heat from your home’s air; resulting frozen coils and uncomfortable temperatures.
Dirty evaporator coils: Dirt accumulates on the evaporator coils. After too much buildup, the debris causes a disruption in the cooling process, which prevents the coils from absorbing heat from your home’s air; causing frozen coils.
Airflow abnormalities: Clogged air filter, air duct leaks, and/or blocked air registers, or anything causing improper airflow can also be the culprit. Your coils won’t have enough heat to absorb if the return air blowing over your evaporator coils is inadequate, freezing them over.

Central Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Inspection, Emergency Repairs & More in Las Vegas, Summerlin, North LV & Henderson Nevada

If you should find that your coils have frozen, first try to switch off the air conditioner from your thermostat. The coils need to thaw, leave the A/C off for a few hours. With frozen coils, your home is not being cooled and giving the coils an opportunity to thaw is important. While they thaw, ensure your air filters are clean and there is no buildup or debris on the coils itself. If the coils continue to freeze after your air filter is changed and coils are cleaned, turn it off the air conditioner again. Call Air Supply Heating and Air Conditioning to check out the frozen coils, and our experts will assess the situation and find the solution.