Do I Have a Refrigerant Leak?

The quick answer to the question posed in the title of this blog is: hopefully not. Unfortunately, there is no way in which to guarantee that you will never run into a refrigerant leak with your home cooling system. Because this can be one of the most serious, most potentially damaging problems that you could encounter with your air conditioning system, it is important that you have it resolved promptly. We have some tips to help you recognize the signs of a refrigerant leak.

It is important to remember that your air conditioner does not actually consume refrigerant in the way that a car consumes gasoline. Refrigerant is instead cycled through the system over and over again, and its evaporation in the evaporator coil — and condensing in the condenser coil — is what allows for the cooling process in the first place. If your system is low on refrigerant, you have a leak in your air conditioner in Summerlin, NV.

Is Your System Blowing Warm Air?

If so, it could definitely be low on refrigerant. Refrigerant is a heat transfer fluid and, as mentioned above, evaporating and condensing that fluid is the way in which your system is able to cool the air in your home. As the refrigerant evaporates, it draws heat out of the air. As it condenses outdoors, it sheds this heat to start the cycle over again. Low refrigerant means that your system is not going to be able to pull as much heat as it should out of the air surrounding the coil. Warm air coming from the vents is the result.

Is Your System Starting Up and Cycling Down Frequently?

Your air conditioner should not really be running in short bursts. When properly sized and charged with refrigerant, the system should run in pretty even, full cycles. If the system is starting up, running only very briefly, and then shutting back down again, that could mean that it is overheating. There are different reasons as to why the system may overheat, and low refrigerant is definitely one of them. Low refrigerant can also lead to another problem, which can also result in short cycling.

Is Your System Icing Over?

We talked about this issue in our last post. If your air conditioner is icing up at the coil or on the refrigerant lines, then low refrigerant is a very likely culprit. Ice on the evaporator coil is even more of a problem, because this ice creates an insulating layer on the coil that only serves to make it even more difficult for your system to absorb heat from the air passing over it. That means that the system is going to struggle, it will incur unnecessary wear and tear, and you will be paying more for a weaker performance from your air conditioner — at least until it breaks down on you completely.

We’ve had an incredibly busy season so far this summer, and the heat is not going away any time soon. Let Goettl Air Conditioning keep your system up and running properly. 

G-O-E-T-T-L it’ll keep you cool but it’s hard to spell.