One of the most frustrating problems with a window air conditioning equipment is if it starts to ice up. For who owns the air conditioner is can be perplexing.
When this problem occurs most 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 result of poor airflow.
Any time the airflow via an air conditioner is fixed the coolant system becomes affected. If taken to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil could be changed. Should 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 will appear as ice.
The primary job of an air conditioner is to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the room air. By removing the moisture from the area air it gives us a sense of comfort. To do this though the temperature of the cooling coil should 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 at heart the following are several problems that can result in 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. In case a smoker do it every week. To clean filter remove from air conditioner, 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 tepid to warm water to sink so that filter is totally 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 two or three years. Every year would be best, but this can 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 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 吹風機罩 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 would be to dissipate the heat that is being removed from the room. Just like the cooling coil it too should be cleaned every few years. Because the condenser is externally of the home it becomes exposed to lots 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. Or even cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here can even burn up the compressor. Before this happens though the lowering of airflow will affect the overall operation. This can bring about the compressor efficiency dropping, the inner 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 is not able to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil may not get cold enough to shut off 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 reaches fault the air conditioner will have to be replaced. But note that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors when they were actually one of the other faults discussed in this article.
5. Not enough refrigerant. An excessive amount of refrigerant.
Both scenarios can lead to and icing condition. If your air conditioning equipment was repaired recently suspect an excessive amount of refrigerant. Mixed with an airflow problem this is often 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 outside 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 issue is more prevalent in the fall. If it is hot throughout the day but cold at night suspect this problem because the reason behind icing up. If this problem 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 at night time.