Air Conditioner - Ice On Indoor Coils
Ice on the indoor coils of an Air Conditioner can cause the appliance to stop cooling well. This may even cause the Air Conditioner to spit water or ice out of the front of the appliance. The primary causes for ice on the coils is the outdoor temperature, fan speed, or a dirty filter.
Diagnosing an Air Conditioner With Ice on the Indoor Coils
Temperature / Fan Issues
A cool evening in which the outdoor temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit is one of the causes for a Window Air Conditioner to have ice on the indoor coils. The best way to prevent ice on coils is to not run the appliance if the outdoor temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is close to 70 or you are unsure of the temperature, you can turn the thermostat to a warmer setting as well as set the fan switch to the highest position. This allows for better airflow across the coils.
Switching the Fan speed to a lower setting for quieter operation but leaving the thermostat at a higher setting will result in not enough air flowing over the cooling coils. This lower airflow will not keep the moisture off the coils and in turn that moisture will freeze.
Dirty / Clogged Air Filter
A dirty or clogged air filter may also cause the coils to ice up. Make sure the filter is clean by following the directions in the Owner's Manual for the specific model you own.
For general cleaning instructions for the filter, please check out our Air Conditioner - Cleaning the Filter article.
Defrosting Ice on the Coils
On models that have just an On/Off setting turn the switch to OFF. The quickest way to defrost the coils is turn the Air Conditioner off and allow the room air temperature to melt the ice. To help speed up the process you can turn the Fan speed to Low; however, this can cause the dripping water to be blown back into the room. After the coils have defrosted, set the temperature control to the middle or warmer setting and set the fan speed at HI-Cool.
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