Is My AC Low on Refrigerant?
The answer? Hopefully not. If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, then your system is simply not going to function properly. Considering just how hot our summer weather is here in this part of the country, an air conditioner that is not functioning properly can be a huge problem indeed. Plus, you must keep in mind the fact that your air conditioner does not actually consume refrigerant in its operation.
That means that an AC low on refrigerant either was not charged properly, or that it has developed a leak somewhere in the refrigerant lines. Whatever the case may be, you need a professional technician to diagnose the problem properly, and to resolve it completely. We’ll make sure that any refrigerant leaks in your system are pinpointed and repaired promptly.
What Is Refrigerant?
Refrigerant is an umbrella term for various chemical compounds used in air conditioning systems. Without the right amount of refrigerant in your air conditioning system, that system won’t really be able to do its job. Refrigerant plays too vital a role in the operation of your air conditioner in Scottsdale, AZ.
What Does Refrigerant Do?
Refrigerant is used to absorb heat from the air in your home, so that the air conditioner can redistribute the cooled air back throughout your house. Refrigerant changes very easily between liquid and gaseous states. It is evaporated in the AC’s indoor evaporator coil, at which point it pulls heat out of the air in your home.
It is then condensed in the outdoor condenser unit, which allows it to shed the heat that it has absorbed into the air outside. The process is simply repeated until your desired temperature is met throughout the house. When refrigerant is low, this process is impeded.
Signs of Low Refrigerant
As is the case with most air conditioning problems, there are some warning signs to be aware of which can alert you to this particular problem. First and foremost is an air conditioner that seems to be struggling to cool your home effectively. If your system used to do so without fail, but is suddenly unable to keep the whole house comfortable, a refrigerant leak is definitely possible.
You may also run into issues with ice on your evaporator coil. Water may pool around the indoor unit as this ice melts away, too. If there is not enough refrigerant in the system, the evaporator coil can get too cold. When that happens, the condensation that collects on this coil can freeze up on it. You may also see frost or ice on the refrigerant lines themselves.
Short cycling is another problem that you may encounter. The system may overwork itself as it struggles to remove a sufficient amount of heat from the air in the house. It can overheat, and that will cause it to cycle off and start back up too rapidly. This wastes energy and puts a lot of wear and tear on the system. If you think you have a refrigerant leak, give Goettl Air Conditioning a call right away.
G-O-E-T-T-L it’ll keep you cool but it’s hard to spell.
