The requested URL /discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x9356 was not found on this server.Even during a scorching Kansas summer, when temperatures outside soar, ice can build up on or inside your air conditioner. This can lead to big problems, so it’s important to know why ice can form on an AC unit and how to prevent your air conditioner from freezing up. First things first: If you have ice on your air conditioner, shut the unit off now to allow it to defrost while you read on to determine whether you need to call a professional for service. If your air conditioner freezes up, it’s either because something is preventing heat from transferring from your house to the Freon, or something is causing the evaporator coils to get too cold. Air conditioners work by transferring heat through a refrigerant called Freon. The evaporator coil expands the Freon, which causes the coil to cool quickly. Air is blown over the cold coils and distributed through your home’s duct work to cool the air in your house.

The refrigerant inside the coils absorb the heat from the air, then moves outside your home to the compressor. The compressor causes the Freon to release the heat from your home into the outside air, and they cycle starts again. Cause: Low refrigerant levelIf your refrigerant is low, you have a leak. This causes the Freon to expand too much in the air conditioner’s evaporator coil, lowering the temperature below freezing and causing ice to form.Solution: Have a qualified HVAC technician repair the leak and recharge the coolant.Prevention: Have your air conditioner inspected and serviced every spring to catch potential problems and make sure it has the right amount of Freon. Cause: Dirty evaporator coilA dirty evaporator coil can cause ice to form on your air conditioner because it restricts airflow through the unit. A dirty coil can also make the AC unit use more electricity while producing less cool air, and cause significant damage to the compressor. Solution: To prevent your cooling system from breaking down completely, shut the unit off until the coil is cleaned or replaced by a professional.

Prevention: Clean the evaporator coil regularly. Cause: Restricted Airflow through the AC unitIn order to function properly, air conditioners rely on air flowing through the system. Too little airflow reduces the temperature, causing the AC unit to freeze up. fan coil unit supportAirflow can be restricted by dirty air filters, closed vents, or by clogs or leaks in the ductwork.fan coil unit applicationSolution: Depending on what’s restricting the airflow, you may need to change your air filter, clean your ductwork or repair your air ducts.fan coil unit purposePrevention: Change the air filter once a month during heavy-use times like summer, and consider having your ductwork sealed. Cause: Outside temperature is too coldAir conditioners weren’t designed to be used when the outdoor temperature is below 62 degrees Farenheit.

This isn’t usually an issue here in Wichita, except during the late spring and early fall, when temperatures can get into the 70s and 80s during the day but drop down into the 50s overnight.Solution: Turn off the AC unit to allow it to thaw.Prevention: Turn off the air conditioner at night when the temperature is predicted to be in the low 60s or lower. Cause: Mechanical failureBroken valves, a damaged blower fan or fan motor, kinked refrigerant lines, or a blocked drain can all cause your central cooling system to freeze up. Solution: Have a licensed HVAC professional inspect and repair the unit.Prevention: Regular maintenance of your heating and cooling systems, generally in spring and fall, will ensure all parts are working properly. Ice inside your AC unit can’t be seen as easily, but it can cause serious damage so it requires service immediately. In the humid climate here in the Midwest, it’s common for air conditioners to drip water. But, if a lot of water is dripping inside the unit, that’s a sign of trouble.

A full drip pan can indicate melted ice inside the AC system. Another red flag is the sound of ice chunks falling, like when your refrigerator defrosts. If you notice either of these signs, shut off the unit and call an air conditioning technician right away. For all these problems, prevention really is the best cure. Having your air conditioner inspected and tuned up each year will keep the system ice-free and running efficiently for years to come. PW in the News Rheem Air Conditioner Units Sold With Defective Coils, Leaking Reported Rheem Manufacturing, a leader in the air conditioning manufacturing and sales industry, is selling air conditioning units to consumers with the expectation that the air conditioners will operate appropriately and will last for years. Customers, instead, report being sold central air conditioner units that have been constructed with defective, leaking evaporator coils. What’s more, according to a number of reports, Rheem does not appear to be honoring its warranty.

Our firm is investigating claims for a Class Action Lawsuit against Rheem Manufacturing for selling air conditioning units constructed with defective evaporator coils. AC Coils Leak, Warranty Not Honored Rheem evaporator coils are reportedly leaking just after the unit has been installed, in many cases. When these leaks occur within the warranty period, Rheem has the option of replacing the defective coils. Instead, according to reports, Rheem has only been offering replacement costs for parts, not labor. Should the customer discover the leak following expiration of the relatively short warranty period, consumers are expected to pay for replacement coils and labor, which may total about $2,000, despite that Rheem appears to be aware of the issue with their coils. Science Backs Copper Coil Corrosion Theories Experts explain that the corrosion seen in some Rheem air conditioner models causes the coils to leak. A prevailing theory is that contaminants in the air cause the corrosion, which occurs on indoor coils during the cooling cycle.

The contaminants apparently become acidic when exposed to moisture, which causes etching on the coils, a phenomenon known as “Ant-Nest Corrosion” because the etching appears similar to ant nest activity. This corrosion thins the coils, eventually making the coils porous and very prone to leaking. The coil’s copper surface “will be discolored adjacent to the corrosion pit(s). Surface films can vary from dull gray-black to red-brown or purple, depending upon the specific environment,” Peter Elliot of Corrosion Materials Consultancy Inc., and Richard A. Corbett of Corrosion Testing Laboratories wrote in a paper on the matter, according to an ABC News report. “The corrosion initiates from the tube surface and progresses rapidly into the tube wall,” they explained. The damage progresses rapidly; “Perforation usually occurs in weeks or months, not years.” Researchers writing in Metal Madrid, report that the defect causes “the loss of refrigerant liquid and the consequent environment pollution.

It is known that attack requires the simultaneous presence of moisture, oxygen, and a corrodent, usually an organic acid … or other volatile organic substances.” In fact, note the team, some 10 percent “of all premature failures of copper tubes used in the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) industry are the result of ant-nest corrosion” and “usually occurs in thin-wall copper pipes, especially when copper is de-sulphurized. The paper authored by Elliot and Corbett provided the same explanation that, “Any nest corrosion will only occur when oxygen, moisture, and a specific corrodent, usually an organic acid, are simultaneously present on a copper surface. The damage is worse when stagnant fluids are retained against the copper surface, or when crevices are part of the unit design.” Although the cause of the coil corrosion appears to be well understood and scientifically backed, Rheem continues to sell air conditioning units that suffer from this flaw and refuses to compensate consumers appropriately.