Why is There Ice on the My Air Conditioning System Outside?

It is hot in Midland, North Carolina, and your air conditioner faithfully keeps your home cool. However, if you notice that there is ice building up on the outside of your air conditioning system, then there may be a problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Let’s look at a few reasons why this might be happening.

A Refrigerant Leak in the Air Conditioning System

Without refrigerant, your air conditioner would not be able to cool your home. The refrigerant is responsible for absorbing hot air from inside of your house and expelling it to the outside. If the refrigerant is low, it can’t absorb enough heat. As the cold refrigerant travels through the coils, it begins to freeze and consequently, ice begins to build up.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

If the coils are covered in dirt and dust, they are no longer able to effectively cool your home. Dirt creates insulation between the ambient air and the refrigerant that is held inside of the evaporator coil. With the layer of insulation, it becomes more difficult for the refrigerant to absorb the hot air inside of your home. This keeps the coolant cold enough to freeze inside of the coil. Eventually, the entire coil will freeze up and the refrigerant will no longer be able to absorb any hot air, resulting in your house getting hotter and hotter.

Restricted Airflow

If the air filters are dirty, the outside coils have debris around them, or if there is something blocking the vents and registers inside your home, airflow becomes restricted. In order for the coils to do their job in the cooling process, they need continual airflow. Investing in a maintenance agreement with us can help to reduce these issues as our trained technicians can perform preventative maintenance before a problem occurs.

If you see ice on your air conditioner or it isn’t performing well, give us at Dulin Mechanical Services, Inc. a call so we can repair your system. You can reach us at (704) 237-3641.

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