Protect your A/C unit in the summer heat by looking out for these common causes of freeze.

We all know the drill during summer months. It gets really, really hot. We crank down the thermostat and send our air conditioner into overdrive to try and keep us cool. Everything is great until your air conditioner freezes up. And a frozen A/C unit can ruin a hot summer day very fast.

How does an A/C freeze even seem possible?

There are two fairly common reasons for homeowners to know about A/C freeze.

Problem 1: Blocked air flow

The first potential problem of a frozen air conditioner is typically the air flow in your home. When your home’s air flow is restricted, there’s no air moving through the air conditioning system to keep the condensate on the coil from freezing. The culprit is usually a dirty air filter. This is a simple problem to prevent.Best advice? Set reminders to regularly change your air filters and get two A/C tuneups each year to keep your system clean and efficient. Earlier in the season is better for maintenance, before HVAC contractors get busy with service calls.

How to fix air flow when A/C freezes up?If your air conditioner freezes up due to an air flow issue, first thing to do is switch it off to start the defrosting process. Next thing you should do is turn on the fan. Let it run for 60 to 90 minutes. Check and change your air filter during this time. After that, turn your air conditioner back to cool and it should start working again.

Problem 2. Refrigerant leaks

If air flow isn’t the concern, then there’s the issue of refrigerant leaks. This is another common cause of your A/C freezing up. Whenever you’re leaking Freon or other coolant, it’s a decision point for homeowners. When you have a leak, it’s best to either get it fixed or invest in a new A/C depending on the age of your current system.
Yes, you can get an HVAC company to top off your coolant and get your system up and running again. However this maybe only a temporary fix and there’s no telling how long it will last. It could go a couple of months or a couple of weeks or a couple of hours before your A/C is frozen again. If you suspect a leak, contact a professional HVAC company as soon as possible. Let a  professional licensed technician pinpoint and repair the A/C issue before it causes any  other headaches.