If you’re a homeowner that needs help with your AC that’s leaking refrigerant, then we can help. Leaking refrigerant is a problem all too common with air conditioners, and unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, it can be easy not to notice your ailing system.
The first step in figuring out what kind of help you’ll need with your air conditioner is detecting a refrigerant leak. Problems that arise from leaking refrigerant can take many forms, so it’s important for homeowners to stay vigilant for all of the problems we mention down below. People who can detect a problem and contact a professional for AC repair in Winnetka, IL are going to have a much less expensive and stressful time when the problem is diagnosed—so remember to stay vigilant!
Keep reading if you think your AC might be having trouble with refrigerant.
What Is Refrigerant?
Refrigerant is a chemical contained within your air conditioner that’s responsible for the cooling process taking place. As it is cycled from the evaporator coil to the condenser coil, it evaporates and condenses, effectively drawing heat from one location and depositing it at another. This means that heat is taken away from your home and deposited outside!
In order for refrigerant to be able to do this, it must be compressed as a gas and constantly cycled through the system. Luckily, our air conditioners don’t consume the refrigerant, they just cycle it—which means in an ideal world, you’d never need a refrigerant recharge.
Is My Refrigerant Leaking?
Notice how we said in an “ideal” world? Many times refrigerant leaks out of an air conditioner through some hole or faulty component, and it’s up to homeowners to figure out this is going on. Keep in mind that a refrigerant recharge might bring refrigerant levels back to normal, but it won’t fix a leak if there is one. That’s going to need some further investigation by a professional. Regardless, let’s take a look at some signs that your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant.
- Hissing sound. When gas leaks through a small opening, whether it’s your mouth, a gas line, or a refrigerant line, it often makes a hissing noise. This can be one of the easiest ways to tell that your AC is leaking refrigerant.
- Frozen coils. Many homeowners notice ice on their air conditioners and think that it’s normal, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Ice means your system is having trouble absorbing heat and that could be due to a refrigerant leak!
- Ineffective cooling power. A system that’s leaking refrigerant will have trouble cooling your home. If you notice that your AC isn’t cooling to your desired temperature, you might need some help.
- High energy bill. An air conditioner that doesn’t have enough refrigerant is going to work harder in order to have the same cooling output.
Call Us Today
If any of the previous points sound familiar, don’t hesitate to call our team today. We specialize in patching refrigerant leaks, refrigerant recharges, as well as repairs that can get at the heart of an AC’s problem.
Call the team at Roberts Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. We’ll take care of your air conditioner.