AIR CONDITIONER Expert Interview

One of the most frustrating issues with a window air conditioning equipment is if it starts to ice up. For the owner of the air conditioner is could be perplexing.

When this problem occurs most people immediately think it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. More often the cause is the result of other difficulties.

It is most often the consequence of poor airflow.

Any time the airflow through an air conditioner is fixed the coolant system becomes affected. If taken up to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil could be changed. If they drop too low the cooling coils surface temperature can drop below the dew point temperature of the room. When this happens the cooling coil will begin to operate as a refrigerator instead of an air conditioner. Rather than simply cooling the air it will collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it’ll appear as ice.

The primary job of an air conditioning equipment would be to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the room air. By removing the moisture from the room air it gives us a sense of comfort. To get this done although temperature of the cooling coil must always be higher than the room’s dew point. If it is allowed to drop below the dew point the air conditioner will start to produce ice.

With this information in mind the following are a few problems that can lead to your air conditioning equipment icing up:

1. Dirty filter.
To avoid this replace or clean your filter every couple of weeks of the cooling season. If a smoker do it every week. To clean filter remove from air conditioning equipment, wet thoroughly, and lay in bottom of a sink. Sprinkle detergent (laundry detergent works well) onto filter surface. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Add hot water to sink so that filter is totally covered. Soak for quarter-hour. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.

2. Dirty or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioning equipment requires regular maintenance. Usually every several years. Every year would be best, but this is often costly unless you do it yourself. During cleaning the cooling coil should be degreased and washed to eliminate accumulated dirt and debris. Degreasing is essential to remove any coatings on the coil. Or even done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They will build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too much time this can bring about the cooling coil becoming partially blocked. This can produce a lower airflow.

3. Dirty or blocked condenser coil.
The condenser coil may be the one guiding the air conditioning equipment. Its job is to dissipate the heat that is being removed from the room. Similar to the cooling coil it too should be cleaned every few years. Because the condenser is externally of the home it becomes exposed to a lot of dirt, pollen, and smog. Since airflow direction is from inside to outside it’s the inside surface of the condenser that becomes dirty. Therefore to clean this part the air conditioner must be completely disassembled. If not cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here may also burn up the compressor. Before this happens though the lowering of airflow will affect the overall operation. This can result in the compressor efficiency dropping, the internal pressure-temperature relationships being affected, and the resultant production of ice on the cooling coil.

4. Inefficient compressor.
As describe above an inefficient compressor could cause icing up. If the compressor struggles to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil may not get cold enough to shut down the cold control. It can hover just above the cut off point. When this happens the cooling coil will begin to refrigerate. Ice on the cooling coil will result. If the compressor itself is at fault the air conditioner should be replaced. But note that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors when they were actually among the other faults discussed in this post.

5. Not enough refrigerant. An excessive amount of refrigerant.
Both scenarios can lead to and icing condition. If your air conditioner was repaired recently suspect too much refrigerant. Blended with an airflow problem this could be difficult to diagnose. If not repaired recently then suspect https://inter-klimat.com.ua/obogrevateli before considering a refrigerant imbalance.

6. Outdoor temperature too low.
Icing can occur if the outside temperature falls below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. If the exterior temperature is too low the air conditioner pressure-temperatures can be affected. Once the outside temperature falls the cooling coil temperature may also fall. So much that the coil will refrigerate the room air. This will result in the cooling coil starting to produce ice. This problem is more prevalent in the fall. If it’s hot throughout the day but cold during the night suspect this problem as the reason behind icing up. If this issue is suspected try running the air conditioning equipment in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This can circulate the area air without cooling it, while bringing in a small amount of outside air during the night.