Tell-Tale Signs Of Low Refrigerant In Your AC

Your AC supplies cool air throughout your house by using a cyclic process of condensation and evaporation. Refrigerants are a mixture of chemicals (usually Chlorofluorocarbons or CFC) that absorb the heat inside your house by evaporation. Then the refrigerant in gaseous form goes out and releases the heat by condensation.

Low levels of refrigerant will ,obviously, result in your AC not working efficiently. While your AC will be working on overdrive trying to supply cold air, it won’t be able to. On one hand, this will cause you home to be hot. On the other hand, you will be paying more in energy bills.

It is important to remember that refrigerants don’t leave the system on their own. Only a leak in the system can cause low levels of refrigerants. That’s why the should first be sealed. Just adding refrigerants (or Ferons, as they are known as) is just a temporary fix.

Therefore it is essential to call AC repair service in Briargrove, TX if you think your AC is low on refrigerant. Here are some signs of an AC unit with low refrigerant:

Out of the ordinary noises:

While your AC system is supposed to make some noise, keep your ear out for the weird ones. Since there is a lot of pressure in the refrigerant lines, a leak will usually cause hissing or bubbling noises.

Your AC is blowing hot air:

If your AC is mechanically functional, but can’t cool the air, it will blow hot air inside your house. And since the refrigerants are responsible for the cooling process, low levels of refrigerants will cause the above problem.

Frozen refrigeration lines:

Refrigerant lines carry refrigerants from the evaporation coil inside your house to the outside unit and back. Low levels of refrigerants will create a lower pressure in the evaporation coil and decrease the temperature. This will cause the coil to freeze up. While you can not see frozen coil since it is inside your AC unit, you will definitely see it’s effect outside.

Now the coil is frozen, and the refrigerants can not travel freely along the lines. This causes the refrigerants to get stuck in the lines outside. And that’s why the lines are frozen outside.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s time for you to call AC repair service in Briargrove, TX. Just adding refrigerants is not only useless, it’s illegal. Since CFC’s and other refrigerants are potent greenhouse gases, EPA requires you to seal the leak before adding refrigerants.

We at Northwind Air Conditioning Heating and Mechanical take this, and other AC maintenance issues, very seriously. We specialize in HVAC design, installation, and maintenance, and have been providing outstanding services to our clients in Briargrove, TX for more than 20 years.

As a member of the Better Business Bureau, providing quality and affordable service is our goal. Call us today at (713) 683-9474 for any issues relating to your HVAC system this summer.