Refrigerant is an essential part of your air conditioning unit. Therefore, if your refrigerant is leaking out, your air conditioner will only be able to blow air inside your home. Your air conditioner does not use up the refrigerant, and the only reason for it to get low is that there is a leak somewhere.
Warning Signs of a Refrigerant Leak
If your AC has a refrigerant leak, you may see your electric bills get much higher. Look for inconsistent electrical usage levels by comparing how much electricity you are using now to the amount you used in previous bills.
Even though your energy bills are higher, you might find that your home never feels cool. This is because your AC has to work harder to cool your home. In some cases, you may simply have the fan running with no chilled air at all. The air conditioner will also not be reducing the humidity in your home.
The evaporator coil might also be frozen. The coils freeze because they are not absorbing heat effectively. The condensation that is on the coils freezes as a result. If you do not address this problem promptly, you may need to replace your compressor.
An AC can make noises if there is a refrigerant leak including a hissing noise. If the leak in the AC unit is large enough, it may even be making a gurgling sound as the refrigerant escapes rapidly.
Causes of Refrigerant Leaks
As your air conditioner ages, some of its parts begin to wear out. Also, some of the air conditioner's parts can become loose and this may lead to refrigerant escaping. More can be added but you will have to regularly recharge the AC with refrigerant. It's better to correct the problem that is causing your AC to leak refrigerant.
Addressing Air Conditioning Leaks
Air conditioning leaks are one repair that you cannot carry out yourself because the air conditioner refrigerant is regulated. Whether or not your air conditioner can be repaired depends on why it is leaking coolant. For example, if the refrigerant is leaking through an evaporator coil, repairing the coil can be the most cost-effective way to repair the leak. However, depending on the extent of the damage, the air conditioning repair technician might recommend that your unit be replaced instead. However, regardless of the approach you will need to take, don't let your AC leak refrigerant for too long.
Contact a company that offers air conditioning repair services to learn more.
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