Even though we may enjoy warm late summer days, most of us don’t want that heat creeping into our air-conditioned living or workspace. Are you are concerned because your place is not cooling off as it should? Perhaps you’ve noticed warm air or lower than normal airflow coming out of your system’s registers or you’ve heard a hissing sound. Maybe you’ve observed water on the floor by your HVAC unit or seen ice forming on your evaporator coils. These are all telltale signs of an AC refrigerant leak.
Here’s an important thing to know about refrigerant and your AC: a reduction of refrigerant is not a normal part of the operation of your system and likely signals an AC refrigerant leak. A properly running system circulates and maintains the same amount of refrigerant, it is not like oil in your car that must be replenished over time.
Let’s take a closer look at the symptoms of an AC refrigerant leak and the probable causes of that HVAC refrigerant leak, which is costing you in terms of comfort and dollars because of higher electric bills.
5 signs of an AC refrigerant leak
1. LOSS OF COOLING POWER
Refrigerant plays an extremely important role in the cooling process. It’s the refrigerant’s job to absorb the heat from your home and release it outside. If your refrigerant levels are depleted, it will take longer to cool your home or business, which often results in a visit to the thermostat for a downward temperature adjustment.
2. REGISTERS NOT BLOWING COOL AIR
One part of your quick analysis for an AC refrigerant leak is to check the air coming from your registers (vents). If the air is not as cold as it should be, it could mean an HVAC refrigerant leak.
3. HISSING SOUNDS COMING FROM YOUR INDOOR UNIT
An AC refrigerant leak is caused by holes or cracks in the coils that circulate the refrigerant. Though hissing could be a sign of a variety of problems, refrigerant leaks are among them. A larger leak may produce a gurgling sound.
4. COILS ARE FROZEN
When the refrigerant levels circulating through the evaporator coils are insufficient, the coil will not adequately absorb heat. This will result in the condensation on the coils freezing. Sometimes the frozen condensation will begin to melt and drip on the floor. Though ice on the evaporator coil might not seem alarming, it could lead to a system breakdown and could translate into an expensive repair such as a compressor replacement.
5. AN AC REFRIGERANT LEAK EQUALS ELEVATED ELECTRIC BILLS
If an AC refrigerant leak is negatively impacting your comfort level and causing you to dial down the thermostat in the hope of getting cooler air, you will be using more electricity. Review your utility bill for inconsistent usage levels, especially when compared to the same timeframe last year.
