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What do you know about the different parts of your air conditioner? Chances are that you know a bit about how this system works but you aren’t an expert the way we are. That’s okay because we help fill the gap!
That said, we like to give our customers a little bit of extra information to help them feel better equipped in handling their AC systems. That’s why today we are talking about one of the most vital parts of your air conditioner: your refrigerant supply.
Read on to learn some important details about your system refrigerant including why a refrigerant leak is a bigger deal than you might think.
Refrigerant is vital to what your air conditioner does
Refrigerant is what is known as a heat transfer medium. This means that it is used to absorb and move heat. In a central air conditioner, refrigerant moves heat out of the house; in a heat pump, refrigerant can reverse its direction depending on what you need so it can move heat in or out of the house.
Long story short, without refrigerant in your air conditioner, the system would just be a large fan.
Refrigerant doesn’t get used up
The refrigerant in your AC system runs through a closed-loop system. Your AC is installed with all of the refrigerant that it should need for the entirety of its lifespan. Contrary to what some may think, your refrigerant does not get used up the way fuel does. A loss of refrigerant indicates that there is a problem in the system such as a leak allowing this vital substance to escape.
How do you figure out if you have a refrigerant leak?
It isn’t always easy to figure out you have a refrigerant leak in your AC before it starts to negatively impact your system. There are warning signs that you can watch for though. These warning signs include:
- Hissing or bubbling noises: Hearing either hissing or bubbling while your air conditioner is in operation is a likely indicator of a leak in your refrigerant line. Hissing is made by gaseous refrigerant escaping the line. Bubbling is made when air enters the line where the refrigerant is still in liquid form.
- Reduced cooling: Refrigerant is vital to the cooling process. Less refrigerant means less cool air being produced.
- Short cycling: Another sign of a refrigerant leak is when your AC starts to short cycle. Short cycling occurs when something is hindering the cooling process or causing the system to overheat. A refrigerant leak can cause both of these issues.
- Ice on the evaporator coil: A refrigerant leak will also eventually lead to ice collecting on your evaporator coil because the system can’t absorb heat the way it is supposed to.
If you think your system has a refrigerant leak or another pressing repair need, make sure to talk to a professional technician to get the right air conditioning service in Fresno, CA. Our team has the experts you can rely on to get the job done right.
Contact California Indoor Comfort Inc to schedule your next AC service appointment. Where comfort and technology come together.