Reasons for refrigerant leaks from your air conditioner
Here's how to determine if your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant and what to do in that case.
When using air conditioners for cooling or heating, you may encounter several common problems. Your air conditioner may stop cooling as it should and start blowing warm air instead. One of the reasons for this may be leaking refrigerant from the air conditioning system. In the following lines, we will look at the most common reasons for this and how to determine if there is a refrigerant leakage from your air conditioner.
What is a refrigerant?
Freon or refrigerant is a gas that is needed for good air conditioning. It moves in a closed circle of the air conditioning system from the evaporator, capacitor, compressor, and other elements. When there is a refrigerant leak, it instantly affects the operation of the air conditioner, electricity bills, and the health environment of the home. Therefore, if you suspect freon leakage or are not sure what problem your device has, you should seek the help of an expert technician to prevent more serious damage and consequences.
Can the air conditioner work with leaking refrigerant?
The answer is yes! Even if the operation of the air conditioning system is difficult, it can continue to operate when the refrigerant leaks. However, you should not forget about the problem, because it can be dangerous to your health and can be much more expensive if you do not take action.
The consequences of the leaking freon can be really serious. When your air conditioner runs low on freon, it can not only affect your electricity costs but can seriously damage the system and damage the environment, as it is a substance that hurts the ozone layer.
If you detect a freon leak, turn off the device immediately and seek professional help. Regular air conditioning servicing will give you peace of mind about the operation of the system and you will know if all indicators are normal.
How to determine if there is a freon leak?
In addition to regular servicing, you should also monitor the operation of the air conditioner, especially during the active seasons. This way you will be able to identify the faults in time and you will be able to take the necessary measures. Here are some indications of a leaking freon there may be:
- If you notice that your air conditioner is not effective during cooling and it blows hot air, it is certainly a sign of a system malfunction and one of the reasons may be a freon leak.
- If your monthly electricity bills have risen significantly and you know that this is not due to overuse of the air conditioner, this is likely an indication of loss of refrigerant. The reason for this is that when there is little freon availability, the system uses more energy to work at the specified degrees.
- As one of the main causes of freon leakage are cracks or openings in the windings, you may notice a roar or unusual noise during air conditioning.
- Another indication of a leaking freon may be a freezing of the coil. This usually happens because in the absence of a sufficient refrigerant, the evaporating coil cannot absorb enough heat and this leads to the formation of condensation and ice. In this case, seek professional help.
How can you find if there is leaky freon and what to do if so?
Apart from noticing the mentioned signs of a leaking refrigerant, other ways will surely solve the problem:
- The first sure way to identify such a problem is through the use of a manometer (a device that reads the pressure). To determine if the quantity is normal, you need to see what the indicators of the air conditioner freon should be and what freon it works with. You can see this in the device manual.
- The other way that is recommended and safe is by regularly providing air conditioning maintenance and letting professionals solve the problem. Correct maintenance plans can prevent expensive repairs or even the need to replace the air conditioner with a new one. As it is normal for your air conditioner to have about 5% loss of freon per year, regular maintenance and filling of the refrigerant are recommended by most manufacturers.
Do not install your air conditioner yourself! One of the most common causes of refrigerant leakage is improper installation of the device. That is why we advise you to seek professional installation.
Do you need to replace your air conditioner with a new one?
If there is a problem, it is good to check what refrigerant your system uses. If your device works with freon R22, it is recommended that you replace your air conditioner with a new one for several objective reasons.
The first is that your system is probably old and refilling this freon is more expensive. You should think about whether it is worth investing in this or whether it will be better financially for you to replace the old system with a new one.
The second reason is that R22 has been declared a freon that seriously damages the environment and is therefore no longer produced. The goal is for it to slowly be replaced by newer solutions. The new freons are much more environmentally friendly and efficient, so the new air conditioner will save you money and provide a healthier environment for you and your family.
You can find many more useful articles in the blog of Midea.bg. Here you can find some of the best models of air conditioners that work with environmentally friendly freons at affordable prices. See more on our page.