Why does my Air Conditioner freeze? Is there anything I can do to prevent it? Those are two of the most common questions we get this time of year, especially when the temps have hit the mid 90’s for a few days. There are a few things that you can do if your A/C freezes:
- Turn the air conditioner off at the thermostat at night, do not run it all night long when the temperature outside is cooler then what you have the thermostat set for.
- Make sure that the airflow isn’t restricted. Have you checked the filters? Are they very dirty? Change them.
- If the system did have ice on it, run just the fan from the thermostat for a few hours giving the coil time to defrost. Then try running the air conditioner again. If your system freezes up again you will need to call a Service Tech to check for leaks.
- Don’t set the temperature to below 72 degrees. Asking it to keep your whole house cooler then that puts undue stress on the unit.
Ways to make sure that your system has good airflow and is keeping your house cool:
- Make sure that there are no vents closed or things blocking the air flow through the vents. Make sure curtains or furniture don’t block the vents. Air conditioners rely on good air flow to prevent the air from backing up and forming ice around the coil.
- Make sure your home has adequate air returns. An air return can make a world of difference moving the air through your home.
- Make sure the filter is changed monthly during the summer months.
- Keep your system maintained. Call for your A/C tune up as early as possible in the spring so that the Technician has the time to spend going over your unit and checks everything over properly.
- Don’t put anything on or around the outdoor unit as that can restrict air flow and make sure that none of the fins are bent or broken.
- Keep watch over your pets so that they don’t use the outdoor unit as a watering station. Talk with your Service Technician about options to protect your outdoor unit. Custom made A/C covers are available through our office.
With a little thought and timely maintenance you can keep your A/C working properly during even the hottest parts of the summer. If you don’t have Air Conditioning reach out to us for a free quote (406) 721-7018. A/C can typically be installed in a day.