If the evaporator coil inside your old air conditioning unit builds up with hard ice every few days or so, call an HVAC contractor immediately. Your evaporator coil may potentially crack if it continues to freeze up. Learn more about frozen evaporator coils and how you can keep your coil from bursting below.

Why Does Ice Form on Evaporator Coils?

Every indoor HVAC unit, or air handler, contains a device called an evaporator coil. The evaporator coil's main job is to remove warm air from your residence. If the coil loses its ability to remove heat from your home's air, it can build up ice. An icy coil can trigger a number of issues with your HVAC system, including mechanical failure.

The symptoms of a frozen evaporator coil can be daunting and frustrating. Your house will feel hot and unhealthy. The humidity levels in your house may increase as well. If your house becomes too warm and humid, mold will develop inside it.

Your HVAC units will also experience problems when your evaporator coil freezes. The unit that houses the coil will become damp with condensation. Mold, mildew, and algae may develop on the surfaces of the unit and damage it.

If the ice on the coil doesn't melt right away, it will overwhelm the coil. The fins coating the surface of the coil may expand with ice and crack. You can't save a cracked evaporator coil. You must replace it instead.

Don't wait until the issues above occur in your home. Have an HVAC contractor fix your evaporator coil today.

How Do You Keep Your Coil From Cracking?

A contractor will need to thaw out your icy evaporator coil before they do anything else during the visit. A contractor will either remove the coil from your air handler, or they may thaw it with a water hose if it's completely covered.

After a contractor thaws your evaporator coil, they check the fins on it immediately. In order for the coil to perform well in the system, its fins must be completely open and straight. If the fins are warped or closed, a contractor will repair them. A contractor will also clean the coil during the visit. 

If the coil's fins check out fine during the repairs, a contractor may recommend you replace the coil. Evaporator coils can freeze up repeatedly if they become too old to perform well.

Learn more about your icy evaporator coil by calling an HVAC contractor today.