What could be wrong with my air conditioner?
Question:The air blows out but it is not very cold. End of last summer ice was forming on the pipes. Have cleaned filter and outside vents. Unit is only 2-3 years old. Please help-our weather is starting to get hot!
Answers:
The usual cause for the freezing you saw is poor air flow. The number 1 cause is dirt in the blower wheel (inside house) and dirt in the evaporator coil (inside the house). Next would be a ductwork problem. Next would be low refrigerant charge. It is certainly not normal to lose refrigerant at any time, let alone 2-3 years. I live and have worked in the deep south for years. Filters are changed once a month here.
It's low on freon or whatever they use these days
I would have someone look at it that knows air conditioners.
It's freezing up because it's too big of a tonnage for the job. You need a smaller unit!
OK- Do This:
Shut off your AC unit to allow the blockage (ice) to thaw. It froze because you need to replace the insulation OR put insulation around the copper line to prevent it from freezing. Then, Remove your Filter(s) Its OK to run it for a day or so without it in. After you have the unit off for a while and the pipes wrapped good - Turn it back on. Replace the filter the next day. Hope this works - I had a similar problem.
like javeyote, said low on refrigerant. When the HVAC tech comes to recharge the unit have him check for leaks. A two year old unit should not be leaking.
You say its only 2-3yrs old,is it a new house?Ive seen the builders raun these units during construction before its been trimmed out and the coils get clogged with drywall dust,if its a new house you might pull the filter and look at the evap. coil on the air handler/furnace if you can.There's 2 reasons for freezing-lack of freon,lack of airflow
That sounds like a number of things. I cannot give you a technical answer. However, let me off some additional advice. If your system is less than 3 years old and your house is less than 3 years old, there is a strong chance that the system is under warranty. The system could be generally bad. I was warned that my AC had issues in year 2 and I did not know that it was still under warranty. I waited. this year, year 6, I am paying almost $4000 to do repairs on a system. Mine is a Comfortmaker and my builder got a sweet deal on these cheap units. Regardless of the age of your home, that AC may be under warranty still. Have it checked now. Later, the expenses can be very painful.
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