Mysterious Air Conditioning Issues Might Actually Be A Sign That Your System Needs Refrigerant Added

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Having the right heating and cooling system in a home or business can have a huge impact on the energy costs associated with HVAC systems. Units that are too large or too small are unable to properly heat or cool a building at maximum efficiency. Hello, my name is Roland, and if you're interested in learning everything you can about HVAC systems, you'll find the information you need in this blog. I belong to an environmental organization that helps homeowners and business owners learn how to reduce their energy costs. Our organization helps people save money on their energy bills, and while doing so, this also helps the planet. I've written this blog to help others learn about HVAC systems and how qualified HVAC contractors can help them save money and help the environment.

Mysterious Air Conditioning Issues Might Actually Be A Sign That Your System Needs Refrigerant Added

3 August 2016
 Categories: , Blog

There are a number of people who do not know that they need refrigerant added to their air conditioning systems. Sometimes, air conditioning systems will exhibit obvious signs that something is wrong. Continuing to operate an air conditioning system that obviously needs repairs could result in your system suffering from severe malfunction which may cost more than recharging it, which is another name for adding coolant. It is prohibited for non-professionals in many jurisdictions to add refrigerant to their own AC systems. The following are some things that you can check to help you to determine if you may need refrigerant added to your air conditioning system.

Vents

One key sign that people notice when their air conditioning systems need refrigerant is that their vents blow out air that is either warm or room temperature. You can perform this simple test by putting your hand in front of one of the vents and allowing the air to blow over it. You may also be able to tell that the system is blowing warm air because you may feel hot, and the air in your home may feel humid.

Thermostat

Your thermostat may also give telltale signs when your air conditioning system needs to be recharged because it likely will not work properly. The first thing that you would need to do is reset your thermostat. You can do this by resetting it via the breaker box that powers your air conditioning system. The other option is setting your thermostat to a higher temperature and allowing it to stay there for a while then you will need to switch it to a cooler temperature to see if the system will automatically turn back on and start to cool your home. If the air does not initiate at the lower temperature, it is a sign that you may need to have refrigerant added to your air conditioning system. Keep in mind that your thermostat may be malfunctioning for another reason. For example, it may not automatically turn on because the actual thermostat is broken.

Icy Coils

Even though your air conditioning system is responsible for keeping your home cool, this does not mean that the presence of ice is a good sign. If you notice that ice or frost is accumulating on any components of your air conditioning system, it is a sign that there may be a refrigerant leak, which means that you likely will need to have the refrigerant that has leaked out replaced. 

An HVAC professional is a good resource to use to determine if your air conditioning system needs to have refrigerant added. They are also the best resource to use to determine what is causing your system not to cool if it is not a refrigerant-related issue.