Ways to Unfreeze an Air Conditioner

Melting the Ice

• If an air conditioner has developed ice or frost, the first step is to remove the ice from the unit. Turn off the air conditioner thermostat, but run the blower fan for two or three hours. Set towels down around the air conditioner to catch the water that will drip down when the frost melts. Keep an eye on the air conditioner during this time, and replace the towels with new, dry towels if there is an excessive amount of water dripping down from the unit.

Condenser Coils

• Once the ice has been melted, disconnect the power to the air conditioner. Open the access panel and use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and debris that has built up on the condenser coils, which prevents the condenser coils from operating correctly and causing ice to build up. Use caution not to damage the cooling coil fins as this can lead to coil freezing as well. If the fins are already damaged, they will need to be replaced.

Filter

• A dirty air filter can also eventually lead to the buildup of frost in an air conditioner. Slide the air filter out of the air conditioner and read the filter to see if it is permanent or disposable. Replace a disposable filter with a new filter, available for purchase at most hardware or home retail stores. Wash a permanent filter with some warm, soapy water and rinse well. Once the filter has air dried completely, restore it in the air conditioner.

Refrigerant Loss

• If there is inadequate refrigerant in the air conditioner, frost can build up. While homeowners familiar with home appliance maintenance may add refrigerant successfully to the air conditioner unit, other homeowners not familiar with performing repair or maintenance tasks should contact an air conditioner repair technician for assistance for this process.