Exploring Furnace Repairs

Does your air conditioner need regular refrigerant recharges? What do you do if it stops cooling? Here's what you should know.

What Is Refrigerant?

Refrigerant is a type of gas that runs through your air conditioner to help it get cold. Refrigerant runs into the inside unit of your air conditioner, pulls in heat out of the air that your air conditioner just pulled out of your home, and then carries that heat to the outside unit of your air conditioner where the heat gets expelled outside.

Refrigerant cycles through a sealed tube between both parts of your air conditioner. If all works as it should, it is a completely closed system.

Does Refrigerant Run Out or Need to Be Recharged?

Since your refrigerant runs through a closed system, it should never run out or need to be recharged. It doesn't wear out over time and it shouldn't have anywhere to go except through your air conditioner.

The only way that your refrigerant can run out is if you have a leak. You may be familiar with car air conditioners needing refrigerant recharges. Car air conditioners work the same way and only need more frequent recharges because they are more likely to develop leaks.

How Do You Know if You Have a Refrigerant Leak?

Most refrigerant leaks are very slow. They gradually reduce your air conditioner's cooling power over time, so it's hard to notice that you're losing cooling power and spending more money to cool your home. The only time you'd have a sudden leak is if someone cuts into the refrigerant tube or pipe while doing other work on your home.

Refrigerant is virtually impossible to see or smell. It's also likely that the leak will be inside of your walls or outside of your home. Air conditioning repair specialists find leaks first by measuring your refrigerant pressure to see if you even have a leak. If needed, they then use special equipment to find the source of the leak.

What if Your Air Conditioner Isn't Cooling Properly?

If your air conditioner isn't cooling properly, a refrigerant leak is a possible cause. You may also have other mechanical issues. To find the cause of the lost cooling power, you'd want to schedule a professional inspection of your air conditioning system to help find the problem and identify the appropriate repair.

To learn more about air conditioner refrigerant problems, contact a local air conditioning repair company today.