Ice is never a fun thing to see on your air conditioner. You’re probably already aware that your AC system doesn’t use ice to keep your home cool. In fact, your refrigerator and freezer don’t use ice to keep food cold either. Ice is just a byproduct of cold temperatures and humidity, and our air conditioners or refrigerators work using electricity and refrigerant to do this instead of ice.
So, why should you be so concerned when you see ice? Something must be working if temperatures are cold enough inside your air conditioner to create ice, right?
Well, not necessarily. In fact, ice could be contributing to your home being too warm. It’s true! Let’s talk about why ice growing on your AC is a sign that you need air conditioning repair in Cedar Rapids, IA.
The Cooling Process
Let’s start by talking about how your air conditioner actually cools the air in your home, without the ice. Once you know how the system works without ice forming on the coil, it’ll probably start making sense as to why the ice is a bad omen.
Your air conditioner compresses refrigerant to the point of evaporation, then allows it to condense again later on in the process. This transition from gas to liquid and vice versa moves heat from one place to another. On a hot summer’s day, this process works to pull heat out of your house, cooling the air in the process. Then, it’s up to a blower fan system to push that air through your air ducts and into the rooms of your home where you can feel it.
The pressure differential then allows for warm air in your home to get siphoned into the return air duct where the process can start all over again.
If something inhibits this process, ice could potentially start growing on the coils as the air gets too cold inside of the system.
Ice Is a Sign of Something Going Wrong
Your air conditioner has enough power to cool the air throughout your home. That’s a lot of air and a lot of cooling, but if it doesn’t have access to that air, it might start doing some funky things.
For instance, if your air filter is clogged, the system might not be able to draw in warm air from your home, causing the temperature inside of the system to get too cold. This can be a potential cause of ice growing on your system, and it’s one of the main reasons why we encourage customers to change out their air filters regularly on their own.
Another reason ice could grow on the coils of your system is if the blower fan isn’t working correctly. The air might not be making it to the rest of your home, causing it to pool up inside of the system, getting too cold, and causing excess humidity to freeze into ice.
Get the System Cleaned and Fixed
Regardless of what’s causing the issue, here’s the deal–your air conditioner needs professional repairs.
Start by turning the system off and changing the air filter. Then, call our team and let us walk you through the scheduling process.
At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Rapids area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.