What Do You Do When Your Air Conditioner Line Freezes & Won't Blow Cold Air?

When Coils Freeze

• The internal cooling coils of the air conditioner sometimes freeze, if the temperature outside is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Condensation occurs inside the unit, and the cold air circulating through it causes the coils to ice over. Freezing of the coils can also happen during sleep mode, if the sleep mode temperature setting is too low. There are a few ways to go about defrosting the coils.

Turn Off the Power

• A sure-fire way to thaw the internal cooling mechanism is to simply turn the power off. Press the "On/Off" button on the AC unit front panel or the remote control to turn the unit off. Air circulation stops, and the rising room temperature will melt the ice. Unplug the air conditioner as a safety measure. Allow an hour to pass to confirm that the coils are completely thawed. Plug the unit in, turn it on and set the temperature to a higher setting.

Increase the Temperature

• If you don't want to turn the unit off to allow the ice to thaw, turn the temperature setting up to a higher number. The higher you set the thermostat, the faster the defrosting action. If possible, turn the thermostat up to its highest setting, which may be around 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Press the directional "Up" or "Down" button on the unit's front panel or on the remote control to raise the temperature setting.

Turn Up the Fan

• To increase the unit's defrosting power, turn the fan onto "High." Press the "Fan" or "Mode" button, until you reach the fan's highest setting or "Cool High." A fast fan coupled with a warm temperature setting will allow warm air to flow rapidly through the coils, which defrosts them at a much faster rate, as opposed to turning the unit off or just raising the temperature. Allow the unit to run warmly for approximately 30 minutes for a complete thaw.

Call a Technician

• There are a few problems which should be fixed by a technician. If you can hear the compressor running, but the fan motor isn't working, the internal coils will freeze. The compressor is the component that produces cold air. The fan might not be turning because of ice build-up. Allow the fan time to defrost. If the fan still fails to turn, call a technician for further assistance.

  If debris has somehow been sucked into the air conditioner and has stopped the fan from running, this might also cause ice buildup. Check the fan component for blockage. If there is no blockage and the fan still fails to run, contact a technician.

  If you can hear the air compressor running, even if you turn the thermostat up higher than room temperature, then the thermostat might be malfunctioning or broken and the unit will freeze. Contact a technician for further assistance.