One of the most common types of air conditioner problems that we encounter in homes in the St. Louis area is a refrigerant leak. This is an air conditioner issue that many homeowners misunderstand, so today we wanted to clear things up about how your cooling system uses refrigerant and what you should do if you ever encounter an air conditioner refrigerant leak.
Your air conditioner does not “use up” refrigerant
Many homeowners have the misunderstanding that air conditioners “use up” refrigerant the way that a car uses up gasoline. This is not the case. If your air conditioner is operating normally, it will always contain the same amount of refrigerant. The only two reasons your air conditioner would have low refrigerant are if the person who installed the system didn’t add enough refrigerant, to begin with, or if your air conditioner developed a refrigerant leak.
How does an air conditioner refrigerant leak develop?
There are several different reasons that an air conditioner can develop a refrigerant leak. One reason is that some of your refrigerant lines and coils are located outside and susceptible to puncturing and damage, even though they are weatherized. In addition, the temperature and pressure fluctuations that your coils and lines undergo over the years can eventually cause them to break open somewhere.
What are some symptoms of an air conditioner refrigerant leak?
- Your home won’t cool properly
- Warm air is blowing out of your air registers
- High energy bills
- Frozen evaporator coils
What should you do if you have an air conditioner refrigerant leak?
If you suspect a refrigerant leak, or if someone discovered one during a service call or annual maintenance, the leak will have to be repaired by a trained HVAC professional like Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll use equipment to identify where the leak has developed and seal it up. After testing to ensure the leak has been properly sealed, we’ll add the right amount of refrigerant to your system so that it operates properly and efficiently once again.
If you have any questions about an air conditioner refrigerant leak, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis air conditioning company. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like St. Charles, Wentzville, and Winghaven.
