Is Your Air Conditioning Leaking Refrigerant? Here’s How You Can Tell

Writer • Jan 02, 2020

One of the most frequent problems that can occur with an air conditioning system is a refrigerant leak. Freon, the most common refrigerant used in HVAC applications, removes warm air from inside the air conditioning system and sends it outside. If that Freon starts to leak, you will experience some noticeable performance issues with your air conditioner. In addition, exposure to leaked Freon could result in some health issues for people and animals alike.

So how can you tell if you have refrigerant leaking from your AC in Kalamazoo, MI? Here are just a few of the telltale signs you’ll want to watch for:

  • Warm air coming through the vents: If you notice you have warm air coming through your vents even if the air conditioning is turned on, this is a sign that you likely have a refrigerant leak. When the system has the proper level of refrigerant, it should have no problem cooling the air, removing the hot air from the system and ejecting it from the home. Obviously, if your air conditioning system is producing warm air, something is wrong.
  • Insufficient air pressure coming through the system: Not only can a refrigerant leak result in a lack of cold air coming through the system (and potential warm air coming through instead), but it can also cut down on the air pressure you get. If airflow appears to be much lower than usual, this is a likely sign of a refrigerant leak, especially if the air that’s coming through isn’t actually cool.
  • Home taking longer to cool than usual: When your AC system is functioning properly, the refrigerant will absorb heat from inside the home and push it outside. A lack of refrigerant is indicative of inefficient cooling, which means it will take your home much longer to cool off than it normally would. It might be hard to notice this at first, because this is a problem that will develop gradually over time, so it’s unlikely you’ll notice a sudden shift from one day to the next in terms of cooling time.
  • Ice buildups: If you notice ice starting to form on the evaporator coil or on the unit’s copper lines, this is a classic sign of a refrigerant leak. If the system does not have enough refrigerant to cool your home, the copper lines and coils will be subjected to condensation that will build up and cause them to freeze over time. Check the exterior unit to see if you have this issue.
  • Noticeably higher electrical bills: This issue goes hand in hand with inefficient operation and the home taking longer to cool than usual. Less efficiency means the unit will have to run more to cool the home to your desired levels, which means the entire system costs more to operate. Track how much your utility bills are costing you to see if there has been a noticeable increase.

For more information about what to do when your AC is leaking refrigerant in Kalamazoo, MI, contact the team at All Brands Heating & Cooling today.

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