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gingers42 · Apr 1, 2012, 02:01 PM

The a/c is on but little to no air is coming from the vents and the thermostat says 86 but it's set on 78, so yes it was running continusly... but I turned it off and water starting trickling from the handler and onto the floor... so I left it off for 30min and I noticed the thermostate went down to 85, so I reset it to 83 and turned it on and the thermostat actually went up to 86, so I have turned it off again.
I just replaced the filters on it last week... there is one in the handler proctectiing the coils and since the handler is inside a closet in our hallway, there is a filter inside the door as well... but I was wondering is it really necessary to have both filters? I would think this was cause the a/c to work twice as hard...
Please let me know what to do...
Thank you

thermalmedics · Apr 1, 2012, 03:43 PM

You may be right on. You only need one filter and that should be right at the air handler. Your airflow may be restricted and causing the evaporator coil to freeze up. Pull both filters and leave the unit off for a few hours. Let the ice melt off the coil. (if this is it). It will run out of the condensate drain plug.

The key is leave the unit off for an extended period. If there is a breath of air at the vents than the motor is running but moving no air.

You may need the evaporator coil cleaned and you can diy that as well. Let us know how it turnes out.

Stratmando · Apr 1, 2012, 04:17 PM

Dirty filter or coils will cause it to freeze up, when it sometimes happens to me, I put on fan only, hoping it will cool and thaw, The blower actually may cause a wind chill factor and actually slow the thawing?

thermalmedics · Apr 1, 2012, 04:29 PM

It' just me but I turn off the blower. In fact I just turn off the t-stat and let it sit. I know it is a pain and unless you want to open the cabinet of the air handler to expedite the thaw that's it.

I don't run the blower just because it has already been getting hot enough trying to pull air across a coil that is ice - just me. I hate to put any more undue load on it. Maybe after an hour or so and the ice melts you could run the fan.

I would run the unit when the coil is clear without the filters and see what sort of result you get if the airflow is still weak and for sure the blower motor is operating than the coil has to be a rug. I have seen all kinds of junk stuck to the coil. Most often, pet hair, oil (commercial foo ops) even a wal mart bag!! Yes they truly are everywhere

hkstroud · Apr 1, 2012, 04:33 PM

there is a filter inside the door as well

Do you mean that there is a filter in the closet door? If so this must be a heating unit as well as an ac unit. An opening in the utility closet door would be a fresh air vent for the heating. Don't know why there would be a filter there, unless it's to keep dust from the utility closet from moving into the house.

If it is a heating/cooling unit you might try turning on the heat for a short period to speed the melting of ice that we all are assuming is blocking the coils.

If you regain cooling, but this problem reoccurs and the coils are clean, you will probably have to call a HVAC tech for low freon.

thermalmedics · Apr 1, 2012, 05:57 PM

Although the heat idea to melt ice is a good one in theory. I have to say ,and this is from personal experience, if you run the heat you will get a quick ice melt. Unfortuanely in my case the air handler was mounted horizontally and the coil (at one end) was full of ice and on heating it a big chunk fell down the return duct and hit the return grille, busting it open. Just be careful. I was not thinking about that.

Re freon. That's a good idea to except if you are sure the air velocity has dropped dramatically - that is the tell for a dirty coil or bad filters

Freon loss will still get the airflow but just have the supply air temps maybe in the 70-75 range instead of 60 degrees.