Summertime is prime time for CO₂ regulator freeze up. This condition is more than just frost or condensation on the outside of the regulator. When CO₂ flows through a regulator from a cylinder heated by the sun or high air temperatures (and therefore at an increased pressure) and is reduced to a much lower working pressure, the difference in the high pressure inlet and the low pressure outlet causes a drop in temperature which can be great enough to cause the CO₂ gas to freeze and form dry ice. This can be in the form of "snowflakes" that accumulate on the internal components of the regulator and eventually cause complete blockage and loss of flow.

Heated regulators can relieve or eliminate freeze-up problems. The Harris Model HP 705 has 200 watts of heat to provide a continuous 100 scfh of CO₂ under the most severe freeze-up conditions and higher flowrates under normal (intermittent) conditions.

The regulators are two-stage: the first stage cavity serves as a boiler to vaporize CO₂ liquid and eliminate or minimize any CO₂ solids in the second stage. The second stage chamber is then available to heat the CO₂ vapor before it reaches the outlet.