How To Tell If Your AC Has A Refrigerant Leak And How An AC Repair Technician Can Fix The Problem
Whether you have a heat pump or central air conditioner, your AC relies on refrigerant to keep your home cool. When the refrigerant level drops, your AC has to work harder, and that can drive up your power bill.
Eventually, your AC may not be able to cool your home until you have repairs done. Here are signs of low refrigerant, how an AC repair technician can test the refrigerant pressure, and what to do if your refrigerant is low.
When To Suspect The Refrigerant In Your AC Is Low
When the refrigerant is low, your air conditioner may blow air as usual, except the air may be lukewarm rather than cold. Your AC may run longer too, since your home may never reach the temperature setting on the thermostat.
Another sign of low refrigerant is the formation of ice on the copper coils in the condenser or air handler. You might even hear a whistling or hissing noise coming from your HVAC as the refrigerant escapes.
How An AC Technician Confirms The Problem
Your AC can have other problems that cause the same symptoms as low refrigerant, so the only way to know if the refrigerant is leaking is to have an AC repair technician measure the pressure with a gauge. The technician uses a gauge designed to measure the type of refrigerant your AC has and compares the results to what's normal for your brand of air conditioner.
The type of refrigerant and the normal pressure should be printed on a label attached to the condenser unit. Checking the pressure is done by connecting the pressure gauges to the low and high refrigerant lines. If the pressures are low, the technician may suspect a leak in the system.
What To Do About Leaking Refrigerant
If refrigerant is leaking from your air conditioner, the leak has to be found and repaired. If this isn't done before filling the refrigerant, the new refrigerant will just leak out too.
The refrigerant might be leaking due to loose connections that can be fixed by tightening the connections, but the problem might also be a hole in one of the copper coils. If that's the case, the hole has to be found and plugged.
Hunting down the leak so it can be plugged can be one of the more challenging AC repairs, especially if there are multiple leaks, but the alternative is to replace the coils, and that is an expensive option. Once the leak is repaired, the refrigerant can be filled to the proper pressure, and your air conditioner should cool your home much more easily.