Furnace Freezing Up In Summer: Why It Happens
Are you dealing with furnace issues? Let Watson Heating & Air help and call (859) 695-2989 today!
Furnaces keep you and your family warm all year round. You may not use your furnace too often during the summer. However, furnaces, no matter the time of year, can experience serious issues.
Is your furnace freezing up in summer? Watson Heating & Air's furnace repair experts in Richmond are here to explain why this problem happens and what you can do to fix it.
Dirty Air Filters
Furnaces and heat pumps use air filters to keep particulates — pollen, dirt, debris, and mold — from contaminating your home's air supply. As such, air filters become dirty over time. While some particulate accumulation is fine, excessive buildup on a filter prevents proper airflow, trapping air inside a furnace.
Cold air buildup inside a furnace will cause freezing. This is a problem made much worse when homeowners make the mistake of lowering their thermostats in an effort to fix their unit's issues. Replace your unit's air filters at least once a month to prevent your furnace from freezing up in summer.
Faulty Thermostat
Furnace thermostats regulate air temperature levels. Thermostats are remarkable tools, as they give you incredible flexibility and leeway when it comes to selecting your preferred temperature. Modern thermostats are more reliable than ever, yet they are still prone to malfunctions.
Faulty thermostats do not respond to user input. Without a working thermostat, your unit may produce much colder air than you'd like. This cold air can cause your furnace to freeze.
Thermostats break for a number of reasons. Typically, bad wiring and damaged electrical components cause most thermostat issues. If you need to fix your unit's thermostat, contact your local HVAC professionals for assistance.
Broken Blower Fan
Furnaces rely on fans to regulate their internal temperatures and transport air throughout your home. Blower fans that struggle to perform effectively often fail to cool furnace coils. Despite what you might expect, even during the summertime, coils that lack appropriate cooling can eventually freeze.
How do frozen coils happen? Without proper airflow, these coils accumulate high quantities of moisture. This moisture will then freeze as it comes into contact with refrigerant. Broken blower fans are, for that reason, one of the main causes of a furnace freezing up in summer.
Refrigerant Leaks
Your furnace requires a consistent, steady supply of refrigerant to function. Proper refrigerant levels regulate unit performance and enable temperature changes. Although refrigerant lines tend to work reliably, unfortunately, they can rupture and leak.
Refrigerant leaks typically occur when refrigerant lines crack due to repeated contact with other parts of the furnace. In some cases, the lines fail entirely, causing catastrophic and rapid leaks. Even a small leak can cause your furnace to freeze, however.
Furnaces without enough refrigerant cause moisture to freeze. Frozen coils cause the rest of the system to shut down and freeze. Attempting to repair your system's refrigerant lines on your own can expose you to health problems and cause further issues, so it is best to contact HVAC professionals for appropriate assistance.
Blocked Vents
Vents allow large amounts of air to circulate throughout your home with ease and efficiency. You can open and close one or more of your vents to achieve your desired temperature conditions. Vents that are blocked will cause serious issues for your heater, however.
You can usually close one or two vents without any problems. However, closed or obstructed vents, no matter the cause, prevent air from leaving your ducts. Instead, the air flows back through your ductwork and into your furnace.
Excess air will flood into your furnace and change its internal temperature for the worse. When combined with other issues, such as frozen coils or electrical problems, your furnace may freeze, even when external temperatures are hot.
Call Watson Heating & Air Today!
While you now understand some of the causes of a furnace freezing up in summer, you need professional technicians that can fix your unit. Even during the summer, you must have a furnace that works the way it should. And you don't want to wait until the cooler months to fix a malfunctioning furnace.
It's best to work with the experts so you can prevent problems before they occur. At Watson Heating & Air, we make furnace repair simple.
To answer the question, "Will gas furnace work without electricity," or to schedule HVAC maintenance services, call Watson Heating & Air at
(859) 448-1054 today!










