Every 5 - 10 days our AC unit freezes up - literally. The thermostat is auto programmed to stay at 72 - 78, depending on time of day. When we notice that there is a great discrepency between set and actual temp, we check the unit. The coils are frozen and the insulation layer is frozen to the unit. Why is this happening? Is there anything we can do ourselves to correct? We're on a tight budget, no money for expensive repairman.

 

I'm not a heating-and-air man, but that usually is caused by restricted air flow.
Make sure that the filter(s) is clean, and that the fins over the coils are clean (vacuum) and not dented in. There are fin "combs" that you can get to straighten them out.
Good Luck!
Mike

 

your right when a ac freezes up there are two reasons
#1 is dirty filters or coil inside your furnace or the outdoor unit is dirty. just make sure the fins are not crushed, if they are not you can take a hose and spray out the out door unit with no problems at all , the inside coil its a little harder,you can get a spray that will clean the coil by its self all you do is spray it on and turn on your ac, the water off your coil cleans it.
#2 You dont have enough return air coming back you your furnace , its almost like starving your furnace for air ,then your air then freezes up cause it cant get rid of all that cold air.well i hope i helps :-)

 

Don't forget reason #3: Low refrigerant. Marginally low refrigerant, especially combined with poor air flow is a recipe for ice.

 

Just completed checking and cleaning the coils in my ac (actually, the coil is indoors inside the air handler). The air return is clean and fine. However, although the air flow is fine and everything else is clean, the ac is cooling some (but not as well as our other unit) and the coil is still freezing up (it is a pyramid shaped unit and is freezing up from the bottom up. Does it sound like the unit may be low in refrigerant, or are there other problem areas to look at?

 

Looks like I'm not alone. Had a repair guy over yesterday and we cleaned the filter, cleaned the coils, added some refridgerant, and, while it doesn't freeze over the coil, it now doesn't cool! Found a small leak on the evap. coil, but it was barely detectable.

 

Yup, sounds like a dose of refrigerant is next for Flyzz. For Scott, either your compressor isn't running, or your leak is worse than you thought.

If the compressor and condensing fan are running, and you have good air flow, either your refrigerant charge still isn't right, or you could be actually _over_ charged.