Indside Units

Inside Unit Is Frozen It's not normal to see ice in the summer on a heat pump or central air conditioner. This includes the indoor unit, outdoor unit and line-set. It is possible to ice-up the indoor coil if the air conditioner is running in very cold weather or if the thermostat is turned down extremely low. We recommend never turning the thermostat below 70 degrees. If air conditioning is needed during winter months, such as for businesses, then a Low ambient kit can be installed by a service technician. If you see ice on a heat pump or air conditioner in the summer there most likely is a problem. Here is a partial list of possible causes. Most usually require a service call. * Bad indoor fan motor * Bad indoor fan relay * Low refrigerant charge * Blocked capillary tube * Blocked metering device * Faulty expansion valve or TXV * Stuck compressor contactor * Bad thermostat * Dirty indoor coil * Clogged air filter * Return vents closed * Setting thermostat too low If you have a central humidifier with a by-pass damper - close it for the summer. If you find your air filter was clogged or very dirty, clean or replace and turn off the thermostat for several hours to let the coils thaw. Turning the unit back on before all the ice is thawed will cause the coils to refreeze even with a clean filter. Running just the fan should help to speed up the thawing process. h1=. Water Around Inside Unit You should not you see water around the indoor unit. This is a sign that something is either leaking, or not draining. The evaporator produces a lot of water during the summer, which runs down the coil into a pan, then down a drain. The drain goes either into the ground, outside, or into a condensate pump. Then , the pump takes the water either outside the house or into the sewer drain. If the coil is dirty, the condensation, instead of running down the coil, might hit the dirt, then drip onto the floor. This is one reason why the coil should be inspected annually. J.K. Mechanical service technicians can inspect your coil and clean if necessary. If the coil is dirty, the water will mix with the dirt and the dirt will end up in the pan and in the drain, the drain trap and anywhere else it can cause a problem. It doesn't take much dirt to clog a drain. This is why it is important to always have a good clean air filter and have annual inspections. Sometimes the indoor coil can actually ice-up. And when the ice melts, it drips to the bottom of the unit then onto the floor. Like water, you should not see ice during the cooling season. Indoor water problems aren't only during the summer. Many of today's high efficiency gas furnaces produce condensation as well. There are many parts in the furnace that can leak, drip, or crack, causing a water leak. You may also have a central humidifier which can leak. If you see water try to trace where it is coming from. Here is a partial list of causes and things to check. * Blocked pan, trap, or drain * Faulty condensate pump * Indoor coil frozen, causing melting ice to drip * Dirty evaporator coil * Cracked or rust holes in the condensate pan * Humidifier overfilling, leaking , or dirty * Suction line missing insulation * Condensate pump unplugged (Plug it back in) * Floor drain clogged with dirt