How To Tell When AC Repairs Are Needed
Summer is approaching, and soon, air conditioners will work hard to keep the home cool. Unfortunately, with all that hard work comes the risk that air conditioner repairs will be needed at some point. One of the most common repairs that technicians see in the summer is the need for refrigerant leak repair. This diagnosis can be frustrating for homeowners because refrigerant leaks are hard to spot.
Luckily, learning the signs of refrigerant leaks is easy, and once homeowners know them, they can make a diagnosis confidently. Here are the three most common signs that refrigerant leaks are present in an air conditioner over the summer.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
Understanding the first sign of a refrigerant leak helps one understand how an air conditioner works. Refrigerants are chemicals that are specifically chosen because of the properties they have when they are compressed and allowed to evaporate. When refrigerants are compressed, they get very hot. The heat is then blown off within the outdoor unit, resulting in a cool refrigerant pumped indoors to the evaporator coil. Inside the evaporator coil, the refrigerant expands, causing the coil's temperature to drop to near-freezing levels.
The refrigerant does not behave properly when the pressure inside the compressor and coils is not within specifications. This can cause the evaporator coil to drop below freezing and freeze solid from condensation in the air. This is often spotted by leaks or wet spots near the air conditioner, but the ice on the frozen evaporator coil is visible. Respond by turning off the air compressor and running the fan only while an AC technician is on the way.
Not Enough Cool Air
Frozen coils are usually the result of a small refrigerant leak. However, when the refrigerant leak is bad enough, it can cause the air conditioner to fail to provide any appreciable amount of cold air. This can also happen in the case of a frozen coil since the ice prevents the smooth transfer of heat from the refrigerant to the air inside the home. Luckily, this sign is pretty easy to spot because most people first verify that the AC is blowing cold air when the home is warm and muggy. If no cold air is coming from the vents, check the evaporator coil for ice and call a technician.
Unusual Sounds Coming From the Unit
The final sign that a refrigerant leak is present is the noise that the air conditioner produces. While it would make sense that a leak of a high-pressure refrigerant would make a hissing noise, this is usually not the case. Instead, the noises will come from the evaporator, condenser, and line sets.
Since refrigerant performance depends on changing phases from liquid to gas, the sounds that can be heard near the AC are gurgling or bubbling. This indicates that the pressure inside the coils has dropped due to a leak. Call AC technicians to locate and repair the leak if strange noises are heard.
About 360 Air Tech
360 Air Tech offers upfront pricing on refrigerant leak repairs. They also provide AC maintenance services that can drastically lower the chances of refrigerant leaks. Call today for AC repairs in Williamsburg, VA.
