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Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit
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Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 7:40 PM

Froze up,any helpful recommendations would be greatly appreciated?

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 7:45 PM

No expert but leaking Freon...where are you located?

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 8:53 PM

With the house closed up, it wasn't pulling enough warm air out of the house, and that will cause a coil freeze up....

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 7:47 PM

If it’s a heat pump turn it on heat for a few minutes to thaw it out. Probably a bad capacitor, bad condenser fan motor or low on refrigerant. “Just call the man”.

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You've obviously seen the Andy Griffith episode.......


Jul 14, 2018, 9:26 PM

where Aunt Bee buys the crummy side of beef from the new butcher shop and then Gomer screws up their old freezer for good when he tries to fix it. And Andy keeps telling her to "call the man" in Mt. Pilot. But then he just buys a whole new freezer for her and makes her day!

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Re: You've obviously seen the Andy Griffith episode.......


Jul 15, 2018, 8:40 AM

Seen em all.

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Good for you.***


Jul 15, 2018, 1:16 PM



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I meant to say - good for you as that shows you're a real...


Jul 15, 2018, 1:18 PM

AG fan like I am.

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Re: I meant to say - good for you as that shows you're a real...


Jul 16, 2018, 9:55 AM

Are you sure? Did you actually graduate from there? Can't be a real fan otherwise! :)

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 7:37 AM [ in reply to Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit ]

Mine went out last evening @ 5 pm. When it did the same a few years ago, it was a capacitor. The MAN is coming in about 2 hours. Fingers crossed!

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Turn off A/C. Turn fan to on and let run that way for a few hours


Jul 14, 2018, 7:51 PM

or until it’s thawed out. Turn back on. If it happens again then call your HVAC guy...may need Freon.

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My AC has gone out about 3 times in the last four years. The


Jul 14, 2018, 8:04 PM

problem was always a freon leak in the unit that cools upstairs.It could be that or a capaciter. When I'd call to schedule HVAC, the first thing they always told me was to turn it off immediately and not turn it back on until they came. Fortunately I have a downstairs unit, so we'd just move to the downstairs for a couple of days. I'm surprised it hasn't happened this summer, knock wood. But that is the reason that I just turn it completely off when I leave town for a vacation of a week or more.

Just call HVAC and they will get it running. The only thing is my days of putting off getting a new unit, mine is 13 years old, are running out. There is something they are telling me now about not being able to just replace the freon because of something new. It is costly to replace the freon, but this new situation is going to be costly enough to make me want to buy a new unit.

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Re: My AC has gone out about 3 times in the last four years. The


Jul 14, 2018, 8:56 PM

They are a sealed system, and if it leaks freon, the leak needs to be found and repaired!!!

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Thanks***


Jul 15, 2018, 11:03 AM



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go to a hotel until your ac is replaced


Jul 14, 2018, 8:36 PM

you have money for a vacation so this isnt a problem

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Had money


Jul 14, 2018, 8:41 PM

He just returned from vay-kay! ;)

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 8:45 PM

Turn it off and at a low pressure run water over it ( the coils ), COLD water. Change your filter/filters in your return vents. The return vents are the big vent or vents inside your house. If it freezes up after that, have the refrigerant checked!!!


Message was edited by: allorangeallthetime52®

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 8:55 PM

If you have a unit that runs on freon, I would say you probably got your money's worth out of it and it's time for a new unit, which won't be as good as the old one and uses the new refrigerant.

I usually type questions such as yours into You Tube and probably get more reliable answers than you'll generally get from folks that hangout here on tnet...although some of the answers look spot on. Bet they got answers from You Tube and typed them in here for you. Heck, I rebuilt my entire car ac system for about $500 using You Tube videos, so I can vouch for it.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 8:58 PM

Yep, I think they run on R-134a, or depending on compressor size.!!! If your unit was built prior to 2010, it's likely going to use R-22.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:11 PM

New units use r410a but r407 is being used as a replacement for r22 at 1/4 of the price.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:09 PM [ in reply to Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit ]

No you tube here. Used to do HVAC work. Now that I got old, I just sell them.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 5:30 AM

Same here, it has been a while since I've worked on one, and I've never sold them....

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:04 PM

Go to HD or slowes and buy small window units, use them until either you fix or replace them. If you replace the company should buy back the window units from you

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:11 PM

Have you recently changed the filter?

Those thicker "hypoallergenic" filters can cause your hvac to freeze up. I learned that lesson last year.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:29 PM

Had the same thing happen while on vacation.... Mine was the outside fan motor died... Bought one on Amazon for $70 plus a new capacitor for $10... Fixed in 30 minutes. Check your outside unit... If the fan isn't spinning while on, try taking a small stick and push it in the direction it is supposed to spin.. Many are counter clockwise. If it fights back and won't spin, it's the fan... If it spins freely but won't start back, it's likely just the capacitor (under a corner side panel.. Looks like a metal cylinder). If it's the fan, just replace both.

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Did this post have anything to do with Clemson FB?


Jul 14, 2018, 9:32 PM

Just asking..

Oh, A/C just worked too good too long so turn off & let the sucker thaw out.

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Re: Did this post have anything to do with Clemson FB?


Jul 14, 2018, 10:14 PM

Yes, just forgot the a/cC., unlike the sec.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:39 PM [ in reply to Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit ]

Spot on about how to check the fan without a meter. He can check the capacitor visually. 9 times out of 10 it will be swollen on one end or the other. If it is the fan motor, replace the capacitor along with the motor.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:45 PM [ in reply to Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit ]

Actually if you prod it with a stick and it spools up then it is the capacitor, capacitor is used to add a surge to get fan turning, Heck it is usually bulged on end caps too making it easy to spot.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:38 PM

R-22 is around $100 a pound, DO NOT let them service before looking for a leak!

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:49 PM

Thanks for all the tips,I turned off the unit and switched the fan from auto to on waited 3 hours and just turned it back on,hopefully it will work and not refreeze.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 9:54 PM

Good luck, to replace the entire system is cubic yards of $$$$$. In fairness my electric bill was cut by 30% by replacing the upstairs system with a larger, way higher efficiency and 3 zone system

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 11:01 PM [ in reply to Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit ]

Just make sure you check that outside unit fan on the top of the unit while it's on. If it isn't running, you won't get a/c... But you will cost yourself potentially in a new price of a whole a/c if the condenser burns out. That fan has to be running for the a/c to work.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 11:11 PM

It's running and the house is slowly cooling down Tigerman78, thanks for the advice. I have had problems in the past with the dampers not opening and closing properly but not with the unit freezing up like it did.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 5:40 AM

I'm telling you that it's bc your house was closed up, and cold air was returning back across the evaporator coils, that happens a lot when a house has been closed up for a few days and we have has some cool nights. The hot air that is pulled out helps to keep that from happening....

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 6:02 AM

43 years in the business.

A frozen evaporator coil is caused by one thing: Low suction pressure.

Low suction pressure can occur for several reasons, or a combination thereof.


It could be as simple as a totally clogged filter.

It could be that due to a refrigerant leak in the wrong component, it's going to require a new system be installed.


Find a reputable A/C dealer.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 11:19 PM

If the fan isn’t running Replace the capacitor after you cut the power off of course. You can usually find one at a local dealer for $20. If that doesn’t work replace the fan... usually about $50-$80. Make sure all fuses are good and the filter is replaced. Anything more than that, call the man.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 2:18 PM

Capacitors are inexpensive and easy to replace ..... about 10 minutes and $15. But be careful when doing it as a capacitor stores energy and shock you. After removing the wire leads, use a screw drive to simultaneously touch the contact nibs and discharge the energy ..... just Google it and it will show you how. I always take a photo with my iphone so I ill make sure that I get the right color wire cack to the same contacts.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 14, 2018, 11:28 PM

Andy told Aunt Bee "Just call the man Aunt Bee. Just call the man."

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 12:25 PM

The unit cooled the house back down and hasn't frozen back up so far,thanks to all for the helpful advice.

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Re: Just got home from vacation and my a/c unit


Jul 15, 2018, 9:29 PM

Very likely low on Freon. However, a really dirty filter could cause an evaporator coil to freeze. Or a bad blower motor would also cause coil to freeze.

If you are in the Charleston area, my company would be happy to help.

Coastal Services HVAC
www.coastalserviceshvac.com

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My brand new unit recenty froze up for the 3rd time


Jul 16, 2018, 10:05 AM

in about 10 months. The first incident was only about 3 weeks after moving into the house and they couldn't find anything wrong with the unit other than it was a tiny bit low on freon. The 2nd time they tested the system and found absolutely nothing wrong. This time they finally figured out that it was being caused by a bad time delay relay up in the attic.

My understanding from talking to the AC guys a few times is that the unit freezing up is either caused by low freon or anything that results in poor air flow. Unfortunately the latter can be caused by a wide variety of things ranging from a really dirty air filter to faulty components.

Odds are if your unit froze up once it will do it again.

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