The air conditioner has become the most important component for comfortable living in this scorching heat. Without it, your summers could turn hot and humid. Unfortunately, sometimes ACs stop functioning the way it’s supposed to. There are several reasons for it, compressor dysfunction, the issue with the motor, or refrigerant leak. Refrigerant leaks are critical and require a technician to fix the issue. The refrigerant consists of an inert gas R-22, commonly called Freon, which has the property of changing from a gaseous state to liquid and vice versa through the condenser and the evaporator. This changing of state helps cool the air drawn in from outside.

How to know if your air conditioner needs Freon R-22 Gas?

Here are some clear signs to know if your air conditioner needs more Freon:

The only problem with Freon-style air conditioners is leakage of gas from the pipes, which is a factor in going from one unit to another. Freon is not gaseous: it changes its state from the liquid. Therefore, freon shouldn’t escape out of the pipe. However, leaks do occur. Almost any leak is possible, but all leaks are beyond your control.

Formic Acid

Formic acid is a corrosive acid that can wear copper tubing and cause leaks. Insects like ants, bees, and wasps produce formic acid; the conversion of formaldehyde into formic acid is one of the causes. Unfortunately, it’s a natural acid, and there isn’t a way to stop it without ongoing preventive maintenance.

Wear and Tear

The components of ac may wear and tear over time and cause leakage, wearing of the rubber seal on the service valve, and assembly joints rust. This happens gradually but never shows up on a new ac unit unless it is defective. So if you have an old air conditioner, watch out for these signs.

How To Check If AC Needs Freon?

There may be a problem with your refrigerant if the air flowing through the vents doesn’t feel cool. You may notice air coming out, but your room feels warm.

Frost in the refrigerant line

When the evaporator coil starts cooling excessively, this causes refrigerant starts to flow back into the system resulting in low surface temperatures and causing condensed water vapor in the air to freeze. If you notice this, do not hesitate to call an HVAC technician to save your unit from getting damaged.

Increase in electricity bills

Your thermostat reads the temperature in your home is not as low as it should be, which makes it run your air conditioner a little longer. This wastes energy without affecting the temperature in the house. So if you are seeing an increase in your electricity bill, it could be for several different reasons. Still, if you see it with any other problem, it is probably because your air conditioning unit has a low coolant level.

Sounds like Hissing and Bubbling from the refrigerant line

Most gas leaks go unnoticed. However, if your tank is empty, you may notice a hissing or bubbling sound coming out of your refrigerant line. For a 24 hours service, feel free to contact our HVAC technician to asses maintenance and repairs.

For more information, please email us at contact@alqoze.com or fill out the form here.