Cooling

Why does my AC freeze up?

What causes ice on an air conditioner coil or refrigerant line, how to thaw it safely, and how to keep it from happening again.

By the Exodus Heating & Air service team

Short answer

An AC freezes when the indoor coil gets colder than 32 degrees, usually because of low airflow from a dirty filter, blocked returns, or a failing blower, or because refrigerant is low from a leak. Turn the system off, run the fan to thaw it, replace the filter, and call if it refreezes.

How to thaw it safely

  1. Set the thermostat to Off and the fan to On.
  2. Replace a dirty filter.
  3. Place towels near the indoor unit; melting ice produces a lot of water.
  4. Wait several hours for all ice to melt before turning cooling back on.

Why it happens

  • Airflow: dirty filters, closed vents, blocked returns, a dirty indoor coil, or a weak blower.
  • Refrigerant: a leak lowers pressure and coil temperature.
  • Running in cool weather: cooling on mild nights can freeze some systems.

When to call

If it freezes again after a new filter, there is an airflow or refrigerant problem that needs a technician. Schedule AC repair.

Schedule service

Your home deserves better HVAC service.

Straight answers. Quality work. A team that puts your comfort first.

Mon to Fri 7am to 7pm, Sat 8am to 5pm, Sun closed. After hours, leave a message and we call you back.

Prefer we call you?

Send a quick request. We confirm by phone.

Please add your name.
Please add a 10 digit phone number.
Please add a 5 digit ZIP.
Please choose one.

This sends a service request, not a confirmed appointment. We call or text to confirm your time. By submitting, you agree we may contact you about this request. See our privacy policy.

Call Book Service