Air Conditioning Repair FAQ: Do I Have a Refrigerant Leak?

Your air conditioning system relies on the same type of cooling process as your refrigerator. It’s known as the refrigerant cycle, and it uses refrigerant to move thermal energy from one place to another. All air conditioning units work like this, from central air splits and ductless mini splits to heat pumps. The refrigerant flowing throughout the system of coils has to be of a certain level in order to work properly. That’s what’s known as its “charge.” Some of the most common AC problems are related to this level of refrigerant, particularly when there is a leak. For superior Raleigh, NC air conditioning repair services, call the experts at Raleigh Heating & Air today!

But, how do you know if you have a refrigerant leak? Here are some things to look out for:

• Hissing sound: One of the sure signs that you have a refrigerant leak is when you can hear a hissing sound near the coils or one of the units. When it circulates throughout your system, the refrigerant changes from a liquid to a gas, and vice versa, so the leak is probably at a section where it is in gaseous form. Even a seemingly microscopic puncture can significantly reduce performance and cause problems in other areas of the system.
• Inadequate cooling: If you notice a sudden or even gradual decline in your AC’s ability to cool your home, then you may have low refrigerant, perhaps caused by a leak somewhere. Due to the intricacy of the coil patterns, and the difficulty of diagnosing very small leaks, only a professional diagnosis can determine the true cause. Nevertheless, if you have inadequate cooling, you should make sure you get your AC checked out as soon as possible.
• Frozen coil: While one of the major causes of a frozen evaporator coil is blocked airflow, it can also be caused by low refrigerant. If your system’s refrigerant cycle is not cooling properly, then it is also not dehumidifying the air, and this can lead to increased moisture vapor in the system.

These are just a few possibly symptoms that you might notice when you have low refrigerant caused by a leak. For more information about our Raleigh, NC air conditioning repair services, call the experts at Raleigh Heating & Air today!