If your AC is isn't blowing cool air or if it stopped working completely, you may find that the coils are iced over. It may seem odd that ice develops on an air conditioner when the weather is warm, but it can happen when the coils get too cold. Once the ice starts to build, it keeps growing until your AC shuts down due to the buildup of ice. Here are three reasons this problem develops and the repairs your AC may need.

1. Reduced Airflow

Anything that blocks airflow over the coils can cause the coils to get too cold and start to freeze. This happens because refrigerant flows through the coils and makes them cold. The coils are supposed to cool your house by absorbing heat in the cold refrigerant lines and causing condensation that lowers humidity at the same time.

When there isn't enough airflow, the refrigerant can't absorb heat, so the lines get too cold. The cause of this problem might be a dirty filter or problems with the blower fan. An air conditioning repair technician may need to take the blower and motor out of the air handler, clean them, and repair any malfunctioning parts to restore proper airflow.

2. Dust-Coated Coils

Dirty coils are a common cause of ice buildup. This happens because the dust forms a coating on the coils that separates the heat from the cold refrigerant, and this allows the coils to get too cold. The dust acts as insulation on the coils, so it has to be cleaned off. An AC repair technician can clean the coils, and they may also clean the area around the blower so optimal heat transfer can take place and the AC can cool your home again.

3. Frozen Condensation

When warm air in your home flows over the cold coils filled with refrigerant, condensation is produced that collects in a pan and flows out a drain. Sometimes the drain can get clogged and cause water to back up. If the water doesn't flow away properly, it might freeze if it's too close to the cold coils.

Once it freezes, it could start a chain reaction that causes ice to coat the coils. Unclogging a condensation drain is a common air conditioning repair that a technician can easily do to get your AC working again.

Ice on coils is a problem because the ice makes your AC struggle and stresses parts in the refrigeration system, such as the compressor. The compressor is one of the more expensive parts to replace, so you don't want to run your AC when there is ice present.

Plus, your AC may shut itself down as a safety mechanism when the coils are coated with ice. Ice is a symptom of another problem with your AC, so when you see ice, shut down your AC so it can melt and call an air conditioning repair service to figure out what caused the ice to form and then make repairs.

To learn more, contact an air conditioning repair company.