5 Signs of a Refrigerant Leak in an AC Unit

Person adjusting the AC temperature

It is a beautiful summer, but your air conditioning is blowing warm air. One of the most common causes of warm air from air-conditioning systems is a Freon leak. It is known as the refrigerant, and its primary role is to cool your space by getting rid of warm air from the air-conditioning system to the environment. Freon can leak as a result of various reasons, and it affects the efficiency of the air-conditioning system. It can cause severe health problems. Also, the refrigerant, unlike most other components of an air-conditioning system, doesn’t deplete due to frequent use. Consequently, you must be aware of the signs of an AC Freon leak so that you know when to call an AC technician to inspect the system to ensure comfort at home.

1. Loss of cooling power

Since the refrigerant is responsible for cooling the air in your home, the first sign you will notice is warm or hot air in your home during the summer months. Your air-conditioning system will take longer than usual to cool air in your home when the refrigerant levels have been depleted. You need to call a technician in air conditioning in Knoxville, Tennessee to inspect the system for Freon leaks.

2. Warm air coming from vents

The last thing you want to experience on a summer afternoon is warm air blowing in your home from the vents. It makes your home hot and uncomfortable. The AC unit should blow cold air into your house. The refrigerant absorbs heat and carries it outside your home. Therefore, when your air conditioning unit is experiencing a Freon leak, the heat is never transmitted outside, and the warm air gets blown into your home.

3. Hissing sounds from the indoor unit

Man repairing an AC unitCracks or holes in the coils of an AC unit that circulate Freon are the primary causes of refrigerant leaks. As a result, you need to call an AC technician to inspect and repair your unit if you have noticed hissing sounds coming from the system. However, hissing sounds can also indicate other problems in the air-conditioning unit, but a refrigerant leak is one of them. You can also detect massive refrigerant leaks when you notice gurgling sounds from the unit.

4. Frozen coils

Coils don’t adequately absorb heat when the Freon levels moving through the evaporator coils are not enough. As a result, the condensation on the coils freezes. The frozen condensation will sometimes melt and drip on the floor. You might think that the ice on the evaporator cannot cause problems, but it can cause issues that result in a system breakdown. Consequently, you might have to replace the compressor, which is expensive.

5. Rising energy bills

You will notice an increase in your energy bills if the refrigerant is leaking. Besides, the air-conditioning unit takes a longer time than usual to cool air. Freon leaks strain your unit because it has to work harder than usual to provide cold air.

Refrigerant exposure is risky, and you should not compromise on the safety of your home. Make sure that you contact a technician when you notice one of the signs. Make AC inspections frequent to realize faults early before they become severe.

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