VENT...As usual, I screwed up again. :(

[SweetlyBroken79]

So today I find out why it has been getting so hot in our upstairs for the time summer since we bought the house almost 5 years ago.

I totally forgot to clean the air filters. That's it!! Now the coolant lines are frozen with ice around them. Also the lines on our Central Air System outside also have ice on them. Now we think because the filters were so packed with dust, etc. that it blew the fan out.  I can't believe that such a simple task that will cost us probably hundreds to fix, could have easily been avoided. These are things I always end up blaming myself for because I am the one that does most of the cleaning around the house. I totally forgot about those stupid filters. Now I am paying for it.

[Neighbor]

So sorry for you. Yes likely to be very  expensive, not only for the air handler fan, but also for the ducts and likely the outside condenser coils servicing as well. If you didn't change filters you likely didn't have the unit serviced at all. It has been running hard for some long time.

The good news is your electric bill will go down considerable once you have the repairs  done. Or better yet replace the whole unit if it is time. AND you are going to have a whole lot healthier air circulating in the house once you do have it ALL cleaned  or replaced.

Ice melts but slowly  on it's own, yet if the unit is a heat pump just turn the ac to heat (But not to emergency heat!) and raise the temperature setting for about five minutes, the ice will be melting rapidly. Ice on the coils usually also means low on refrigerant. That costs, really costs, nowadays depending on which refrigerant it is from $70 to as high as $200 a pond. Not fun. Often it is best to bite the bullet and replace an older unit. the newer ones are so much more efficient they really do save a lot of electricity  in use.

And, DON'T beat yourself up over it!! It is pretty common for even people that know better to skip changing filters or use them longer than  is recommended. In the longer run it is a bad idea, so is just letting the unit run year after year without having a cleaning of the unit by  a company that is reputable. It is $300 well spent to have efficient unit and cleaner healthier air.If anyone says they can clean the unit for$40, don't believe it. That isn't cleaning/servicing. Cleaning  the air handler coils alone can cost some three hundred dollars or more.

Look at it this way,  it wasn't the car engine that  you had never changed oil filter on.

 

Edited July 9, 2017 by Neighbor