Why You Should Worry about Ice this Summer

July 21, 2014

Why should you be worried about ice during the summer?  Three words: your, air, conditioner.  We realize it contradicts common sense to worry about ice during the hottest month of the year.  However, frozen air conditioners are still one of the most common air conditioning problems we face during the cooling season.  If your air conditioner stops working- you likely have a frozen air conditioner on your hands.

3 Ways to Tell if Your Air Conditioner is Frozen

1. Check the pipe on your outdoor unit.  You will be able to see a thick coating of ice on the pipe.
2. Your indoor unit is wet- caused by ice on the evaporator coil.
3. Remove the cover from your indoor unit.  Do not touch anything, but inspect visually for ice.

What Should You Do if You See Ice?

We recommend you call a licensed professional if you feel apprehensive completing the following steps.  A service call is much less expensive than an unnecessary repair bill if you inadvertently cause more damage.

1. Turn off your system at the thermostat.
2. Remove the cover from your indoor unit and let it thaw.
3. Switch your fan to “on”, but do not turn the air conditioning back on.  This will help it thaw faster.  If you found the ice on your indoor unit- place towels underneath, and allow your system several hours to thaw completely.
4. Once the ice has melted, replace the cover and turn your system on.

If your home still isn't cooling within the first few hours, turn your system off, and it's time to call in a professional.  A.J. Perri will be happy to help, day or night 24/7.