Can You Turn On Heat to Defrost Your AC Unit?

After you check and find out that your air conditioning unit is frozen solid, you’ll come up with an idea, “Can I turn on the heat to defrost it?”

Without a doubt, yes, you can!

Turning the heat on is an excellent approach to defrosting your unit. When done correctly, it should work magic on your frozen AC.

Click here for a complete guide on how to turn on the heat to defrost ac unit the right way.

Step 1: Switch Your AC Unit Off

The heat outside shouldn’t cost you an AC unit. Turn your air conditioner OFF immediately when you discover it’s frozen in order to defrost ac unit.

Leaving a frozen air conditioner on is a sure way to spoil the components of your air conditioner and eventually leads to burnout of the unit. Any damage to your HVAC UNIT components, especially the compressor, is a significant expense you can always avoid. To avoid this, we strongly advise you to switch your frozen air conditioner OFF from COOL via the thermostat on the inside. The defrosting procedure will then begin.

Step 2: Turn the Fan Thermostat to ON

Can I turn on heat to defrost AC? Yes, you can.

When you turn the air conditioner fan to ON, it blows warm air onto the frozen coils and makes the defrosting process even faster.

You must check to see that your fan is set to ON and not AUTO. If your fan is still set to Automatic, it will start to cycle, i.e., going on and off repeatedly. What you’re looking for is a constant airflow over the frozen components. Your indoor thermostat, however, has an option to do this on its own

Step 3: Determine What Caused the Issue

While that goes on, it’s about time to go exploring. Find out the cause of your problems. What is it that led to the frozen air conditioner?

Don’t worry. We know a few pointers for you to check out:

Dirty air filter

Dirty air filters will clog up your air conditioner unit. For coils in your AC unit to stay chilled enough, they need warm air to blow over them, but dirty coils hinder warm air from blowing onto the cooling coils in your unit. The lack of warm air allows the cooling coils to get too cold, eventually freezing. Please ensure to replace your filters regularly.

Can I turn on heat to defrost AC? Yes, you can. But if the filter is filthy, you may even feel warm air coming out of the back of the unit. A clogged filter forces the air conditioner to work harder to keep the house cool. Dirty air filters will lead to more frequent AC repairs and, ultimately, shorten the unit’s lifespan.

Cleaning your air filter keeps it clear of residue. You can also schedule a service from a trusted professional.

A faulty evaporator fan

The evaporator fan is responsible for keeping that cooling coil in your AC unit from reaching below freezing temperatures and that maintains your room or house just cool enough.

However, when this fan gets faulty, the cooling coil dips below freezing temperature, which could lead to ice forming on your outside AC unit.

Dirty Evaporator Coils

You can probably tell by now that dirt is a big issue in AC units, so if your coils are filthy, the same thing will occur here. Dirt, mold, and all kinds of residue cover the evaporator coils that deter warm air from blowing cooling coils the same way with a dirty or moldy air filter.

Without a proper air filter, dust particles are sure to be trapped on refrigerant coils, leading to a buildup of dust particles that wrap the refrigerant coils trapping cold air. This excess cold air can lead to ice forming on your AC unit.

Leaking Coolant

When you catch a coolant leak in your unit, then that’s most likely going to be the main reason your AC is freezing over as much as it is. A drop in coolant levels leads to a dip in pressure, which in turn allows moisture in the air to freeze on your cooling coils.

Contrary to what people think, coolant never quickly gets “used up.” That’s a myth! Coolant seldom decreases over time, and it never evaporates in air conditioning. Therefore if you’re low on coolant, then most likely than not, your AC unit is leaking, and you should have that professionally sorted out.

It is also vital to remember that coolant is a very hazardous substance that should only be dealt with by licensed HVAC professionals. Reach out to us for any leaks you might have

Problem Parts and Other Issues

A bent or crooked duct, a faulty blower, or shut valves could be the cause of your air conditioner freezing as it has. Air conditioning units are machines with several other pieces and components. Our Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale & Fayetteville HVAC pros can help you diagnose these uncommon yet challenging problems.

Step 4: Pay Close Attention to your air Conditioner

As the ice in your air conditioner unit completely melts, you could discover a little more damage. Condensate drain pans with pooled and blocked condensation drains constitute a significant risk when that amount of water comes off your air conditioner unit. Put some towels around the AC unit and look for more leaks to avoid water damage.

When your air conditioner unit is finally free of all ice and every part is dry, you can go ahead and turn your air conditioner back on. Pay keen attention to the unit for any possible problems over the next couple of hours to several days.

Conclusion

AC units get frozen, and that is undeniable; however, if your AC freezes more often than not, our advice is that you get professional guidance on why this is happening because this could mean a defect within your system. Like all machines, any delay in getting it fixed will eventually lead to the destruction of the entire unit.