Dispelling the Freon Myth: It’s Not Normal to Lose Refrigerant

With the weather finally expected to warm up this week, your thoughts will likely soon turn to air conditioning. When it does come time for you to use your system this season, you will ideally have no problems. But if you are detecting less-than-satisfying output from your vents, then you may have a problem with your refrigerant. It’s very important that you not put off a problem of this nature, as it’s indicative of a leak.

But Doesn’t Refrigerant Run Out?

No, your air conditioner is supplied with enough refrigerant at installation to last its entire lifespan. It’s not like a vehicle that you continuously fill up with gas. So, unless there is a leak then the refrigerant originally supplied with your air conditioner will never need to be changed, replaced or maintained.

In fact, your air conditioner’s refrigerant is in a constant state of change from liquid to gas, and back to liquid again. So if a leak occurs, then your unit will have to run longer and work harder in order to compensate for the loss. Therefore, you’ll be spending more money for less indoor comfort.

So, How Do I Know if I Have a Leak?

A common sign of a refrigerant leak is ice on the coils of your system. This is not something to be taken lightly, as when the ice melts you’ll have water leaking into the system and onto the floor. A few other common signs of a refrigerant leak include:

Low airflow coming from your air handlers/vents.
Warm air blowing in when it should be cool.
Water on the floor by your furnace or outdoor AC unit.
Ice buildup on copper lines from your AC to indoor coil.
High energy use/ higher utility bills with no obvious reason.
Your home takes longer than typical to cool off.

Remember, a refrigerant leak is repairable. However, it takes an expert to look at your system and determine where the repair is needed. Trying to just refill your unit with refrigerant will not help without finding the source of the leak.

For superior air conditioning services in Denver, CO, contact APC Plumbing & Heating. We have someone in your neighborhood today!