What it means when your air conditioner gets frozen, and how to defrost it properly by pouring hot water over the frozen coils.
Has your air conditioning unit developed some ice and frozen? You might be wondering if it will be a wise idea to pour hot water on it to melt away the build-up of ice.
The answer is yes, it is, you can pour hot water over it safely but there are also other ways of defrosting the unit that you can consider before resorting to hot water.
Can you pour hot water on a frozen air conditioner and what not to do to?
Yes, you can safely pour some hot water over your air conditioner if you need to thaw it or defrost it.
It is important to note though, that if your air conditioner is frozen, this means that the coils inside the unit are frozen as they come into contact with moisture most of the time, as the unit is working to produce cooling in your home.
So fixing the problem of a frozen air conditioner will need you to address the coils of the unit and not other parts. There is the possibility of you pouring hot water on the coils and finding that nothing has changed.
If this is the case, it would be best to call a professional for some input and to check what may be further causing the freezing.
There are certain things you might not want to do when it comes to defrosting or thawing the air conditioner, and these involve using a spot heater or a hairdryer to attempt to defrost the unit. This will not be the best approach, as there are other options.
Using either a spot heater or a hairdryer could lead to melting the ice on the coils from the unit too fast, which can lead to damage to other electrical components of the air conditioner.
Using the hot water method will help to melt the ice away slowly as opposed to fast and will avoid further damaging of other parts.
What does it mean when your air conditioner has frozen?
Different circumstances can lead to your air conditioner coils freezing up and these can be your units heat mode versus the cooling mode.
If you had set your air conditioner on heat mode for all of the winter period, and suddenly change modes to cooling mode, when the summer time approaches, this can cause the coils to get colder at a more rapid rate than they should be when you are looking to cool your home.
Dirty filters, will certainly contribute to freezing. Dirty filters are the main causes of a lot of possible malfunctions in an air conditioner. A build-up of dirt will restrict the airflow of the unit leading to problems such as freezing.
Should you have a window air conditioning unit and not a central one, and there is an unexpected cold front this can cause your coils to freeze up in the exterior unit of the window air conditioner.
Ensuring to check the exterior unit during the colder seasons and climates will help you pick up the potential of freezing earlier.
Low refrigerant levels can cause coils to freeze up, even in the hottest of summers, as the evaporator coil can end up freezing because the refrigerant levels are too low.
When the refrigerant is low, the inside of your air conditioner will be cooler than it should leading to frozen evaporator coils. Calling an HVAC specialist to attend to refrigerant issues is your best call in order to add refrigerant.
How long can it take to thaw a frozen air conditioner and what are the steps to follow when defrosting?
The amount of time it can take to fully thaw the air conditioner will depend on some factors which include the extent of the build-up of ice on the unit, whether you use an automatic defrosting setting, and the method you use to remove ice from your coils.
When it comes to defrosting the unit, before you just pour hot water on it, you will need to follow certain steps. Make sure the unit is completely switched off and that no electrical cords are exposed to where the water will be poured.
You need to be sure you are only pouring the water specifically on the frozen coils, in this way you avoid other components coming into contacts with the water.
You need to pour the water in small amounts and not in one whole gush, but rather, do it in 30-second intervals.
So, pouring hot water to defrost your air conditioner is possible.
However, as always, prevention is key to avoiding frozen coils. Regular maintenance, including changing air filters, cleaning coils, and ensuring proper airflow, can help keep your air conditioner functioning efficiently and prevent freezing.
If you’re uncertain or need assistance, consult with a qualified HVAC professional.