Why Is My Air Conditioner’s Refrigerant Line Covered in Ice? Your outside air conditioning refrigerant line is covered in ice—which seems crazy in Arizona heat. Chances are, the indoor unit’s evaporator coil is frozen solid and cold liquid refrigerant is flowing to the outside unit through the refrigerant line (which is why it’s covered in ice). This is an evaporator coil. DO THIS RIGHT NOW: Turn off your AC and turn the fan setting to “On.” This will unfreeze the evaporator coil and prevent any damage to the compressor (a very expensive part you don’t want to replace). Now, let’s delve into what can cause an evaporator coil to freeze up and what you can do to ensure this never happens again. What causes the evaporator coil to freeze up An evaporator coil, a group of copper tubes, freezes when the refrigerant flowing through the tubes gets too cold, causing the moisture in the surrounding air to freeze. So what causes the refrigerant to get too cold?

Usually, it’s one of two things: Low airflow over the evaporator coil Low amounts of refrigerant What can cause these two problems? Let’s divide the possible causes into things you can solve right away and things you’ll need a technician to solve. Problems you can fix Clogged/dirty air filter—A dirty filter reduces airflow over the evaporator coil, causing it to freeze. Check the filter at least once a month. Closed supply vents—Don’t close supply vents (the vents that blow air out)—even in unused rooms. Closing vents reduces airflow over the evaporator coil. Blocked return vents—Ensure that furniture or curtains aren’t blocking the return vents (the grates where air gets sucked in).  Like closing supply vents, this reduces airflow over the evaporator coil. Problems a technician needs to fix Refrigerant leak— The main cause of low refrigerant is a refrigerant leak. The technician needs to evacuate the remaining refrigerant, and then find and—if possible—fix the leak.

Malfunctioning indoor blower— If the blower isn’t working properly, there may not be enough air blowing over the evaporator coil, causing it to freeze up.ac units for narrow windows Dirty evaporator coil—Dirt blocks airflow over the evaporator coil, causing it to freeze up.ac unit vibration noise Note: This list isn't exhaustive; power supply ac input dc outputit’s just a quick overview of common problems. Change the filter, and open and unblock any supply and return vents. If your evaporator coil (and refrigerant line) starts to freeze up again after doing these tasks, then you need a technician’s help.It’s a bizarre, yet common sight. There you are in the middle of summer. The sun is beating down. Everyone is wearing shorts.

And your outside air conditioner unit or heat pump is caked in solid ice. How is it possible for an air conditioner to look like an igloo, even in the warmest summer months? Needless to say, it is abnormal for ice to form on an air conditioner, and it is certainly cause for concern. Several common problems can cause air conditioner freeze-ups: The buildup of ice and frost is a sure sign that your air conditioner is not operating properly. If you notice a decline in your system’s cooling capacity, ice build-up should be the first thing you suspect. Air conditioner freeze-ups should be addressed immediately; continued ice accmulation can cause permanent damage to your a/c unit. The first thing you should do once you notice your air conditioner is frozen is to turn it off and let it defrost completely. Once it has defrosted, check the airflow. Clean or replace dirty filters or remove any visible dirt or obstructions; in some cases, this could be all that is needed. More serious airflow and refrigeration problems require professional intervention.

Schedule a Service Call with Horizon Services; your Horizon service technician has all the tools necessary to troubleshoot serious air flow problems and repair refrigerant leaks. If your icing problem is due to drops in the outdoor air temperature, be sure to turn your air conditioner off when the mercury takes a drop. You should also consider installing a special ambient temperature control that will allow the unit to run properly in cooler temperatures. While all HVAC equipment should be checked by a professional once a year, and an HVAC professional should always be called in to deal with major issues or repairs, you can extend the life of your HVAC system by performing an annual precison tune-up. And, if you are ready to install or replace your air conditioner or heater our friendly and experienced team of Comfort Specialists know air conditioning and heating systems inside and out. They’ll take the time to study your home, understand your cooling and heating requirements, show you all of your options and assist you with finding the quality home comfort system that best meets your family’s needs and budget.

For Fast, Friendly Service – 24 Hours a Day/7 Days a Week: Horizon Services: The only full-service plumbing, heating, air conditioning, geothermal, drain cleaning and sewer and water line replacement company in Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland that guarantees on-time service, up-front pricing and the job done right and clean the first time! Sign up or log in to customize your list. Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a question The best answers are voted up and rise to the top We've lived in our house for three summers and have never had any problems with the air conditioner. Today I noticed that there was ice on the coolant return line outside the house. I didn't think anything of it. Later in the day (now), the system had shut off. Even though the temperature in the house was much higher than the thermostat setting, neither the air blower nor the fan in the AC unit outside was running. I've read that the ice on the lines may mean that the system is low on coolant.

Will simply having the coolant recharged fix the problem? Do I just need to wait for something to thaw? ice usually means either your air handler isn't pushing enough air across the coil, or your system is out of refrigerant. so first step is to set the cool/off switch to off. then set your fan switch to on. if the air handler fan does not turn on, then you have a problem with your air handler or thermostat. possibly something you can fix yourself. otherwise, you probably have a problem with refrigerant (which should not deplete, and if it does then you have a leak somewhere) or your compressor. in either case, you should leave your system off to avoid damaging your compressor until someone can come out and look at it. A frozen suction line is generally more indicative of poor evaporator coil airflow rather than being low on charge. Before you jump into checking pressures or troubleshooting the furnace/condenser controls, check to make sure your furnace fan is providing proper airflow, the filter is clean and the coil(s) are clean.

This is a long shot but check your electrical panel and make sure the circuit breaker for the air conditioner is not tripped. I think the air conditioner unit will be on its own circuit separate from the blower that circulates air throughout your house (at least that is how it is set up in my house). If the air conditioner circuit is tripped, then the AC unit will not go on but still you will be hearing your blower and think everything is working. I would check airflow. Have you closed and air vents, is any furniture blocking vents, has any work been done to the ducts, is the filter dirty, is the evaporate coil dirty, is the blower wheel dirty, is the blower spinning at the right speed. Once those things have been confirmed, THEN you check your refrigerant. 70% of the service calls for iced evaporators are from dirty filters/ restricted airflow AND/OR low on charge. Also check for any restrictions in the liquid line (small copper) such as a pinch or Kink. Feel if the line is hot before the kink and cool after.