What Makes a Home Air Conditioner Freeze Up?
When the temperatures outside are on the rise, most of us rush to turn down the thermostat in our homes. The hotter it gets outside, the cooler we want our homes to be on the inside. This can put a tremendous amount of stress on our air-conditioning units, especially if regular, simple maintenance and checkups are not performed. The most common complaint about air conditioning systems in times of increased demand is that the compressors ice over and the units do not cool as they should. Several factors may be in play, and most of them can be rectified without the help of a professional repairman. Does this Spark an idea?
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Setting the Thermostat Too Low
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Overworking an air conditioning unit by putting the thermostat on the lowest setting can impair the unit's ability to cool. The mechanics of the system were not designed to operate at full force all the time. If the unit begins to overheat due to the stress of trying to keep up with the thermostat, the compressor, which is the part of the unit that cools the air that it circulates back into the home, will ice over and quit working.
Inadequate Power Supply
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Running window unit air conditioners on extension cords robs them of the power they need to operate effectively and efficiently. Window units should always be plugged directly into the wall to avoid this problem and the potential for a fire, which comes when the extension cords heat up from the stress the air conditioning units put on them.
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Inadequate Ventilation
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Air conditioners, like any other machinery, need room to breathe. If the ventilation grate on the system is blocked by furniture, drapes or other objects, the units cannot circulate enough air through their components to cool them and make them work effectively.
Dirty Air Filters
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Air filters on air conditioning units must be changed or cleaned regularly. As mentioned above, air conditioners cannot function properly if an adequate air supply is not circulating through the system's components. Dirty or clogged air filters hinder this circulation and, in turn, cause the compressor to overwork itself and freeze up.
Low Freon Level
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Freon is a gas used by the unit's compressor to cool the air that is circulated back into homes by the units. When the level of freon in the unit gets low, it hinders the unit's ability to cool the air, which causes the compressor itself to freeze over and stop working. Checking freon levels is not something the average homeowner can do for themselves, and a qualified technician should be consulted if a low freon level in the unit is suspected.
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