With the end of summer comes the end of cooling season. Before you stop using your air conditioners, it can be useful to assess their performance. Diagnosing early issues your AC is experiencing this year will make maintenance easier before the next summer starts. And one of the most common problems you may detect is a refrigerant leak.
Refrigerant is a chemical compound which flows through a closed loop between the condenser and evaporator coils and is responsible for cooling and dehumidifying the indoor air. During summer months, your air conditioner works every day, putting high pressure on the refrigerant which can result in refrigerant lines degrading over time. If your air conditioner has a leak, it should be repaired immediately and the refrigerant should be recharged. Not fixing these problems in the shortest time possible can result in more extensive and expensive repairs.
Regular maintenance of your air conditioners is important for diagnosing certain issues, such as leaks, at the earliest stages. This is why, before each summer starts, an annual air conditioning service is MUST. Professionals will tune up your units, inspect each component and conduct pressure tests to ensure your ACs’ most efficient performance.
However, leaks can occur between regular tune ups and here are some signs that will indicate your AC refrigerant is leaking.
If your unit, in the middle of its operation, starts blowing hot air, the most common reason is a refrigerant leak. You will agree that this problem is very easy to spot.
As mentioned above, the refrigerant does not only makes the cooling happen, but also dehumidify the indoor air. If you notice that your air indoors is more humid than usual, it is very likely that your refrigerant is leaking.
This type of leaks may also result in longer cooling cycles which is easy to notice by the sound your unit produces while the air goes through the vents. As a result, your indoor temperature will definitely be a few degrees lower than the one set on your thermostat. Also, bubbling sounds coming from your outdoor component when the AC is not working may be caused by the same issue.
All these signs described will certainly make your electricity bill about to soar. So, if you do not notice them, your monthly high utility bill will be a clear indicator that you have an inefficient air conditioner.
Once you spot any of these warning signs, the best you can do is to hire a professional air conditioning service company to conduct a repair. And, if a leak is due to old age, you will have enough time to save money for replacement next year.