If you’ve ever returned home on a summer day to a hot, sticky, stifling situation, you know there’s nothing cool about a frozen air conditioner unit. The concept behind a frozen AC unit continues to perplex homeowners. How can something freeze when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside? There are simple explanations (and fixes) for your frozen AC unit.

First, why did your air conditioner freeze up?

More often than not, a dirty air filter is the reason your home is giving the sauna at your gym a run for its money. When you forget to check and replace your filters every month, they can become clogged. Clogged, dirty filters restrict the airflow to your intake. Without enough air moving through the unit, it can freeze. Restricted airflow also leaves the dust and allergens (that a clean filter would remove) in your home’s air.

Another common reason for a frozen unit is being low on coolant (commonly referred to by the brand name Freon). This could be due to a coolant leak or mean your system is simply due to be recharged.

How to Fix Your Frozen AC Unit

Thawing out your AC only requires three easy steps.

• First, head to your thermostat and switch it from COOL to OFF.

• Next switch your fan from AUTO to ON. This will start defrosting the evaporator coil (sometimes called the A-coil), found inside your home. You should give your unit a few hours to fully defrost. Might we suggest an impromptu trip to the movies or an ice cream outing?

• Defrosting means dripping water. Before you leave, make sure your condensate pan is in good shape and draining properly. This is important to avoid costly water damage repairs. For easy condensate pan maintenance, purchase cleaning tablets at any local home improvement store. Simply dropping one or two into the pan will eliminate any odors while preventing buildup that could lead to overflows.

• After giving your A-coil plenty of time to defrost, switch your thermostat back from OFF to COOL. If delightfully cool air is once again flowing from the vents, you’ve properly thawed your air conditioner.

If you have to consistently thaw your air conditioning unit, it may be time to call in the professionals. Air conditioning maintenance is an important part of being a homeowner. Most HVAC companies offer inexpensive tune-up packages to check for leaks, clean coils and inspect your connections. Picking up the phone for a simple tune-up could save you the trouble of paying for AC repair or replacement in the future.