If your air conditioner’s refrigerant, or Freon, runs low, you’ll be paying for it. You run the danger of an expensive air conditioner breakdown, and your utility bill will likely be greater than usual. To save yourself a headache and some money, keep these 7 indicators of low refrigerant in mind.
- Your house takes a long time to cool down. Your air conditioner is working overtime to cool your house when the temperature is high. Couple this with low refrigerant levels and it could make the situation worse.
- Cool air isn’t blowing from the vents. Low refrigerant could be one of the causes of warm or lukewarm air blowing through the vents, although it could be an indication of other various problems.
- Your house never reaches the temperature you set. If your thermostat is set to 72 and your AC runs but never gets there, is a sure sign you need to have your air conditioner checked.
- Your electric bill is more expensive than usual. You can find problems with your HVAC system by comparing your utility bills from month to month and from year to year, watching for an unexplained increase.
- Frost on the refrigerant lines. Look at the tubbing if you suspect low refrigerant. When an air conditioner lacks refrigerant, ice can build up on copper tubing or the evaporator coil.
- Your heater is leaking water. Water may accumulate close to the furnace when the built-up ice on the refrigerant lines melts. The water then drips to the ground or into the furnace. Never allow water to accumulate on the ground close to your furnace.
- You hear a bubbling or hissing sound. If you have a leak, the refrigerant escaping will make a sound and an AC service specialist can locate and fix the leak.
Refilling the freon in a home AC unit is more complicated than that of a car. There is information you need to know about your specific unit to determine how much freon is required. A domestic air conditioner should need 2-4 pounds of freon per cooling ton as a rule of thumb, but you will need to know what kind of load your unit is rated for.
A trained heating and cooling expert from Quigley is qualified to service your air conditioner in accordance with EPA standards. They understand all the components of each working system and will fix it correctly every time. Don’t risk further damage or voiding the warranty on your system by allowing just anyone with a home AC recharge kit to “fix” the problem. Trust your comfort, system and pocketbook with Quigley. Schedule your appointment today.
