Signs You Have An AC Refrigerant Leak
Air Conditioner refrigerant leaks are rare, but that doesn't mean they can't happen. Unfortunately, refrigerant leaks can really affect your air conditioner's performance. As such, you should call an air conditioning repair service to solve the issue immediately after you spot the following signs.
Long Cooling Cycles
An AC system with a refrigerant leak will take longer to cool your space. The leak might be small, but the reduced refrigerant levels will reduce the efficiency of your AC unit. Remember, the AC unit depends on refrigerant to cool warm air. So, if the refrigerant gets depleted, the AC unit must work extra hard to cool your space. And even then, it won't achieve your desired temperatures.
Hissing Noises
Hissing noises could also mean that your AC unit has a refrigerant leak. So, don't assume that the noises are coming from the air vents. In any case, hissing noises are not normal. So, if you hear hissing noises, call an HVAC technician to check your refrigerant lines or other components. The hissing noise can be attributed to the refrigerant gas leaking from a small hole. The noises might get louder if the hole is big.
No Cold Air
Your AC unit should blow cold air a few minutes after turning it on. Unfortunately, that might not be the case if your AC unit has a refrigerant leak. Once the refrigerant gas escapes, the warm air passing through the AC system will no longer cool. That's why your house will remain hot despite running the air conditioner for minutes or hours. In that case, you must call an HVAC technician to repair the refrigerant lines and refill the unit with FREON.
Increased Electric Bills
Your electricity bills will definitely increase if your AC system has a refrigerant leak. As mentioned earlier, an AC unit with a refrigerant leak will have longer cooling cycles. The AC system will run for hours to achieve the temperatures you have set on the thermostat.
So, unless you change the settings on your thermostat, the AC unit will consume too much energy trying to cool your space. You can consider switching off the AC system until the leak is sealed. This way, your electricity bill won't go up.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
If you spot ice forming on your evaporator coils, it is a sign that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. The freezing happens due to insufficient refrigerant circulating through the evaporator coils. When this happens, the coils will struggle to absorb heat. Ultimately, the condensations on the coils will freeze.
For more information, contact an air conditioning service near you.
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