Your air conditioner isn’t cooling properly due to refrigerant loss, and you’ve been told that it simply needs to be recharged (refilled), even though you’ve had this service done previously. If you’ve found yourself in this scenario we have some news for you—refrigerant loss is not normal!
Your air conditioner or heat pump is supplied with enough refrigerant upon installation that it should last through its entire lifespan, ideally. If you’re cooling system is losing refrigerant, then you have a leak that warrants a call for Destin, FL air conditioner repairs. The source of the leak must be found, the refrigerant recharged, and the damage fixed so that you don’t experience this problem again.
Why Is a Refrigerant Leak so Detrimental?
The biggest sign that your system is experiencing a refrigerant leak is the presence of ice on your evaporator coil. This is the indoor coil of your system, and icing happens when the levels of refrigerant drop because that coil can’t absorb the same level of heat as usual.
Therefore, the temperature of the remaining refrigerant causes the moisture along the coil to freeze. As this happens, it halts further heat absorption, which increases the ice development, until a solid block of ice will eventually stop heat exchange all together. And scraping the ice off the coil yourself can only do more damage, plus it’s a temporary solution to a problem that must be remedied by a professional.
Other Signs You Have a Refrigerant Leak
A frozen evaporator coil is not the only sign that you’re experiencing a refrigerant leak. Another sign is that your air conditioner is blowing warm or hot air. It’s important to keep in mind this can be a symptom of other problems—a dirty outside unit, a thermostat malfunction, or issues with the compressor, for example.
Another sign of a potential refrigerant leak is a hissing or bubbling noise when your AC is running. The reason for this sound is that there is a high amount of pressure in the refrigerant lines. Therefore, if there’s a leak, you’ll hear a sound reminiscent to the sound of air blowing out of a tight space (think, a balloon with a hole in it.)
Can You Ever Have Too MUCH Refrigerant?
Yes, and this is why it’s vital that you only have an experienced professional handle refrigerant leaks. The main problem with having too much refrigerant in your cooling system is that it can damage the compressor.
Excess refrigerant builds up inside this component and leads to something called subcooling- temperatures below normal. The excess coolant can also flood the compressor and damage the mechanical components—called slugging.
An overcharged cooling system will have increased pressure, making it more expensive to run as it won’t cool as effectively as it should. If you notice a drop in cooling along with higher energy bills, it’s time to call in a professional. Even if overcharging is not the problem, this is an issue that should be handled by a highly trained staff.
You can count on the team at Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. for whatever your cooling system repair or service needs are. Contact us today!