Air conditioner repairs never come at a convenient time. It seems they always happen in the middle of the summer on one of the hottest days of the year. Refrigerant leaks especially seem to crop up unexpectedly. To avoid these problems, it’s important to have your AC unit maintained regularly to keep it in peak working order. At Easco Air Conditioning and Heating we are your reliable refrigeration repair experts in The Woodlands. As your trustworthy HVAC technicians, we can help you locate a leak and recharge your system to get your home cooling again in no time!
Want to avoid emergency repair issues altogether? Be sure to find out about our ongoing maintenance plans, and enjoy peace of mind in your home today!
Signs There Is a Refrigerant Leak in Your AC
Refrigerant is an important part of your AC unit. It helps the evaporator coils cool the air before it gets pushed into your home. When you have a refrigerant leak it means that your lines, and condenser and evaporator coils must strain to work harder to keep everything cool - if they’re able to at all. And more straining means more wear and tear on your unit as well as wasted money and energy.
Common signs that you have a refrigerant leak include:
- Pooled liquid: A pool of liquid beneath or near your outdoor AC unit is a sign that there’s likely a refrigerant leak somewhere. If you see a puddle and you’re sure it’s not rainwater, it’s best to contact a professional.
- Hissing noises: If you notice a hissing sound coming from your refrigerant line, it’s probably due to a refrigerant leak. Because refrigerant is a gas, even a tiny pinprick size hole will allow the gas to escape, causing a hissing sound.
- Ice and Frost: When refrigerant leaks, the evaporator coils are unable to absorb the heat they need in order to help create cold air. When this happens, the moisture on the evaporator coils freezes, leading to visible frost or ice.
- No cool air: One of the biggest signs that you may have a refrigerant leak is if your AC unit is running, but the air it’s pushing through your vents just isn’t cold. This correlates to the refrigerant level gradually dropping because of a leak.
If you notice any of the above issues with your AC unit, contact our AC service experts and we can diagnose any problems. It’s important to note that a properly working air conditioner won’t require freon recharge service. As such, if your system is struggling to cool properly, a repair is needed.
What Causes These Leaks?
There are many ways that a refrigerant leak can come about. If your unit has been damaged due to a storm or if your AC unit is over a decade old it may just be dealing with too much wear and tear for its age. If you’re experiencing a lot of frequent repairs with your AC unit, it may be time to consider a replacement unit, especially if it’s older.
But other things can cause refrigerant leaks as well. In fact, one of the most common causes of a refrigerant leak in homes is formic acid. Formic acid builds up over time due to the copper lines used in the AC unit. Eventually, that excess acid will eat through the line, allowing for the leak to occur.
Other common causes include regular vibrations or weakening or aging joints and connections. This is why it can be so important to schedule regular maintenance with an HVAC technician. They can head off all these common causes and keep your AC running well for years.
Is the age or quality of your air conditioner the problem? We also offer convenient AC replacement services to help resolve your issues once and for all.
The Refrigerant Leak Repair Process
If you know that you have a refrigerant leak, that’s good! You’ve got a cause for the problems you’re experiencing. But unfortunately, refrigerant leaks don’t ever go away on their own and always require some sort of intervention.
A bigger problem than just the leak, too, is that refrigerant is not safe to be around for people. When inhaled it can lead to refrigerant poisoning, which can be fatal if severe enough. Luckily it takes quite a lot of refrigerant to lead to severe poisoning and should be able to be addressed well before it becomes a safety concern in your home.
This is why it is so important to contact a professional if you suspect a refrigerant leak in your AC system. Our AC refrigerant leak repair experts can locate and fix the leak, and then recharge your refrigerant to keep your AC system comfortably cooling your home while also preventing any damage caused by the overfill of freon.
Give Us a Call Today!
Easco Air Conditioner and Heating has been serving The Woodlands, TX since 1982 and are here to help you with all your AC needs and possible refrigerant leaks. Our trained technicians can safely repair and maintain your air conditioner and keep you and your family safe and comfortable, particularly throughout the warmer summer months.
