In a hot Texas summer, it is more important than ever that your central air conditioning unit is running smoothly and efficiently. Even the newest air conditioner models undergo wear and tear from constant operation. This is why it’s important to make sure that you are taking care of your unit by taking the proper preventative maintenance measures. One of the most important of these measures is having you’re A/C recharged with refrigerant. Low refrigerant levels will not only affect you’re A/C’s ability to keep your home cool, but it can also cause serious damage to your unit. Regular maintenance visits from Climate Tech Air Conditioning & Heating will help you to prevent and detect refrigerant leaks. However, here are a few signals that you may be noticing on your own that could indicate a refrigerant leak.
- You’re A/C Becomes Noisy
If your air conditioning unit begins operating more loudly than usual, you should contact Climate Tech Air Conditioning & Heating right away, as it could be a sign of a serious problem. One such problem is a refrigerant leak. You’re A/C does not use up refrigerant like a car uses gas, so there only reason you could be low: a leak. If you begin to notice bubbling or hissing noises coming from you’re A/C, valuable refrigerant may be escaping.
- High Electric Bills
Low refrigerant levels force your air conditioning unit to work harder to keep your home cool. This will result in higher than normal energy bills. Of course, there are a lot of factors that could contribute to an increase in your energy bill. This is why you should monitor your overall electric usage. If you notice a sharp increase in your energy usage, a refrigerant leak may be to blame.
- You’re A/C is Blowing Warm Air
When running properly, you’re A/C will extract the heat from the air and then circulate the cool air throughout your home to keep you and your family comfortable. Refrigerant is what allows your air conditioning unit to absorb heat and keep the air in your home cool. Without the proper levels of refrigerant, you’re A/C may begin to circulate warm or lukewarm air throughout your house. This means that it will take you’re A/C much longer to cool your house down, if it is able to at all.
- Ice on Your Outdoor Unit
Your air conditioning unit’s cold refrigerant flows through the evaporator coil. When refrigerant levels are low, this coil gets too cold. This will cause the refrigerant to flow back through the copper refrigerant line. The excess moisture on the refrigerant line will then freeze. The refrigerant backflow will eventually reach your unit’s outdoor compressor. Liquid cannot be compressed, so when your compressor comes into contact with liquid refrigerant, it is converted to thousands of pounds of pressure. This can cause breaks in plates and rods within your unit, which may force you to replace your entire outdoor unit.
If you notice any of these issues, you should contact Climate Tech Air Conditioning & Heating right away for a diagnostic visit. If we discover a leak, we will fix it and add refrigerant to recover appropriate levels in your system. If you have questions or concerns about your A/C unit’s refrigerant levels or if it’s time for a routine tune-up, contact your local A/C experts at Climate Tech Air Conditioning & Heating.
