HVAC
5 Risks of DIY Air Conditioning Repair

If you have an air conditioner, an important part of keeping it in good working order is to keep the refrigerant level at its recommended level. Too much or too little refrigerant can make your system break down and your energy bills go up and your home to be too hot or too cold.

What Is Refrigerant in an AC?

Refrigerant — a chemical fluid/gas in air conditioning (AC) systems — cycles heat out of your home and into the surrounding outside air. It moves in and out of coils and components, undergoing phase transitions between liquid and gas to cool each room. If you want your AC system to cool your home all throughout the summer and not require an expensive fix, what refrigerant and how much you put into your system is important.

Where Is the Refrigerant Located in an AC?

In a closed-loop system, the refrigerant moves from the evaporator coil to the compressor, condenser coil, and expansion valve of an air conditioner. It absorbs heat from the air within the house as a low-pressure gas in the evaporator coil. After that, it goes through a process of compression to become a gas under high pressure, and then it escapes heat via an external condenser coil. By removing heat from the air within, the refrigerant is able to effectively chill your home in this continuous cycle.

Checking How Long It Takes to Cool Your Home

One way to check how much refrigerant you have in your air conditioner is to time how long it takes to cool your house. If it takes longer than usual to reach the target temperature, then you could be low on refrigerant. If the delay in the target temperature persists after recharging the refrigerant, then the inefficiency might be due to some other problem.

Feeling the Air to See How Cold It Is

Another way to know if your refrigerant level needs topping up is by physically feeling the air coming out of your vents. This air should be quite a bit lower than the outside temperature — the lower the better, as long as it’s not too cold to be uncomfortable. If your AC isn’t chilling the air as it should be, your system likely needs to have more refrigerant put back in.

Looking for Frost or Ice on Copper Lines

Another important diagnostic is checking for ice or frost forming on the copper lines that connect to the air conditioner. If the lines start to ice over, it indicates a refrigerant loss and can be an early warning sign of an impending freeze in the system. If not resolved quickly, the overall efficiency of the cooling system will diminish, and it will likely break down.

Water Pooling

If the system cannot remove humidity efficiently, perhaps because its refrigerant is too low, then the air can get a very damp feeling. With the right amount of refrigerant, the air-conditioning system will operate efficiently, removing moisture and forestalling water damage and mold.

Listening for a Hissing or Bubbling Noise

Other telltale symptoms pointing to refrigerant problems include noises such as hissing or bubbling. These noises normally mean there’s either a break in the system allowing the refrigerant to leak out or simply a system malfunctioning. Either way, failure to address the noise can lead to further damage. And since refrigerant leaks emit toxins into the air, they’re also a human health risk, increasing the chance of respiratory issues, headaches, and vertigo. Due to the poisonous nature of the gases used as refrigerants in air conditioning systems, prolonged exposure can cause nausea and long-term neurological effects.

Keeping an Eye on the Cycling Frequency

Maintaining proper cycling patterns helps to keep the system efficient and optimized. More cycles or longer running times indicate that the system might have too much or too little refrigerant, impacting the ability of the system to regulate temperature.

Understanding Refrigerant Types

There are many different types of refrigerants used by different air conditioning systems. They have specific grades, characteristics, and impacts on the climate. To recharge or replace refrigerant correctly, you need to know the type of refrigerant your system is using. The most popular types include R-22, R-410A, and R-32.

Tools Needed for Checking Refrigerant Levels

Specialized meters like a thermometer and a refrigerant gauge are necessary to confirm if the refrigerant levels are too low, too high, or just right. A refrigerant gauge measures the pressure of the compound, and the thermometer reads the temperature difference between the various parts of the system. With proper use of these tools, a technician can pinpoint any issues and determine if a recharge is necessary. These tools are also important for avoiding under- and over-charging.

Maintaining Optimal Refrigerant Levels

Watch out for ice buildup on the coils and reduced cooling performance — these are things that need immediate action if you want to avoid more damage and loss of cooling efficiency. Routine maintenance tasks such as keeping the system in a good environment and cleaning the coils and the air filters will keep proper refrigerant levels, too.

Why Is Refrigerant Dangerous to Work With?

Inhalation of refrigerants is extremely toxic, causing asthma and oxygen deprivation. When under extremely high pressure, refrigerants can even explode. Some refrigerants are ozone-depleting substances and contribute to global heating, so the mismanagement of these compounds has environmental consequences as well. Technicians aren’t allowed to work on these systems without specific training, which involves knowing how to work with the right tools, following the right procedures to avoid spills, and learning how to dispose of refrigerant.

Does Changing the AC Filter Help With Refrigerant Levels?

Changing the air conditioner filter won’t affect the amount of refrigerant flowing through the system, but it could have a huge impact on just how well the device works. If you regularly change the filter, you can make sure that cold air can flow freely and that system parts aren’t overworked. Dirty filters dramatically reduce cold airflow, and you risk placing greater pressure on the refrigerant system if your air conditioner can’t cool down. The maintenance steps of keeping a clean filter also have a positive impact and prevent problems that can lead to refrigerant leaks or inefficiencies. This is why it’s great to include filter changes in your regular maintenance schedule.

How Long Does a Typical Recharge Last?

You can avoid overworking the air conditioner by keeping the refrigerant at its correct level. This will also keep your compressor from dying earlier and likely extend your air conditioner’s life by several years. A general guide is to recharge an AC once every one to three years, but this varies with the general health of the system and whether leaks are present. Routine maintenance and inspections will keep costs down by extending the amount of time between recharges and by preventing the HVAC expert from having to spend hours tracking down problems.

Air Authority, A Riteway Service Company technicians will do the most professional refrigerant check for you at your place in San Antonio, TX. We also offer AC replacements, ductless installations, heating maintenance, duct sealing services, and air purification services. Call us to book an appointment for your home.

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