Why Do I Need AC Repair for My Home in Wayne, NJ?

When the outdoor unit of an air conditioner is functioning normally, it should be free of any debris and obstructions – and that definitely includes ice.  An outdoor unit should be warm to the touch, if not hot, during normal operation.  If it’s begun developing ice, that means there are problems!

In most cases, you’ll need to call in Wayne, NJ, AC repair specialists to look into the issue.  However, let’s briefly discuss the causes of this problem.

Why Your AC Unit May Start Icing Up

To start with, it’s good to understand how most standard air conditioners work.  Put simply, they use a refrigerant liquid – called freon, R134, R22, or R410A – which captures heat within your home by changing between liquid and gas states.  This liquid then runs in a circulatory system, capturing heat within the house, and transferring it outside to be released.

The most common cause of iced-over AC units is a lack of refrigerant, generally caused by a leak.  If the refrigerant levels drop to the point that it’s no longer reliably evaporating and condensing, the AC system will stop working properly.  Warm air may start blowing from the indoor unit, while the outdoor unit will become increasingly cold – or even start icing over.

In these cases, you will almost certainly need to call in an AC repair crew in Wayne, NJ, to take care of the problem.  AC units can be both difficult and dangerous to work on, and a typical layman isn’t going to have the knowledge needed to find and repair the leak.  

The other reason an outdoor AC unit might start to ice over is if its airflow has been restricted.  Without sufficient air passing over the coils containing the coolant, the cooling cycle will become disrupted.  This leads to cold air ending up in the outside unit which, again, leads to ice.

In this case, you may be able to fix the problem yourself.  Clear out any objects around the AC unit, and make sure that its fans and blows are free of any debris such as leaves.  Once the airflow is clear, it may start working properly.

Get AC Repair Services in Wayne, NJ

If not, Air Temp Service is here to help!  For over twenty years, we’ve provided top-quality AC repair, installation, and service to people across New Jersey.  If your AC unit is starting to ice over, don’t wait for the problem to get worse – click here to schedule a service appointment!