Where Can You Find Free AIR CONDITIONER Resources

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

When air cleaner occurs a lot of people immediately believe that it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. More regularly the cause is the consequence of other difficulties.

It is most often the consequence of poor airflow.

Any time the airflow through an air conditioner is restricted the coolant system becomes affected. If taken 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 area. When this happens the cooling coil will quickly operate as a refrigerator instead of an air conditioner. Instead of simply cooling the air it’ll collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it will appear as ice.

The primary job of an air conditioner is to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the area air. By removing the moisture from the area air it gives us a feeling of comfort. To do this though the temperature of the cooling coil should always be higher than the room’s dew point. If it’s permitted to drop below the dew point the air conditioner will start to produce ice.

With this information at heart the following are several 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 weekly. To clean filter remove from air conditioning equipment, wet thoroughly, and lay in bottom of a sink. Sprinkle detergent (laundry detergent is effective) onto filter surface. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Add warm water to sink in order that filter is completely covered. Soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.

2. Dirty or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioner requires regular maintenance. Usually every several years. Every year would be best, but this could be costly unless you do-it-yourself. During cleaning the cooling coil should be degreased and washed to eliminate accumulated dirt and debris. Degreasing is important to remove any coatings on the coil. Or even done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They’ll build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too long 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 conditioner. Its job is to dissipate the heat that is being removed from the area. Just like the cooling coil it too must be cleaned every few years. Since the condenser is externally of the home it becomes exposed to plenty 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 out 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 can cause icing up. If the compressor is not able to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil might not get cold enough to shut off the cold control. It can hover just above the take off point. At these times the cooling coil will begin to refrigerate. Ice on the cooling coil will result. If the compressor itself is at fault the air conditioner will have to 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. Too much refrigerant.
Both scenarios can lead to and icing condition. If your air conditioner was repaired recently suspect an excessive amount of refrigerant. Blended with an airflow problem this could be difficult to diagnose. If not repaired recently then suspect airflow problems 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 conditioning equipment pressure-temperatures can be affected. When 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 beginning to produce ice. This issue is more prevalent in the fall. If it is hot during the day but cold at night suspect this problem as the reason behind icing up. If this problem is suspected try running the air conditioner in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This can circulate the area air without cooling it, while attracting a small amount of outside air at night time.