How Can I Tell if My Air Conditioner Is Low on Freon?
Freon is the most common name used for the refrigerant that circulates through an air conditioning system. The name is actually a trademark of DuPont and is used for refrigerants in general, regardless of the chemical blend or manufacturer. (It’s similar to how Kleenex is used as a name for all types of facial tissues.) Under normal circumstances, an air conditioner will not run out of Freon: it will continue to cycle the same amount set at the factory, known as its charge, for its entire service life.
But leaks can occur in the refrigerant lines in an AC, allowing Freon to start escaping. When this happens, you’ll need to call on technicians to repair the leaks and then recharge the Freon so the air conditioner will work normally once again.
Below are some ways to tell that your air conditioner is low on its Freon charge:
- Hissing noise – The sound of hissing coming from either cabinet of the air conditioner often means that high-pressure Freon is escaping from a small hole in the copper refrigerant line. Call a technician to look into it.
- Drop in cooling power – If your air conditioner’s fans and compressor seem to be working as they should, but the air coming from the vents is no longer as cool as it once was, a loss of Freon is one of the possible causes. However, it takes a repair professional to determine the source of the problem and fix it.
- Frozen evaporator coil – The evaporator coil is located in the indoor cabinet and is responsible for siphoning heat from the air to cool down the house. If there is a low amount of Freon running through the coil, it won’t be able to absorb sufficient heat to warm the remaining Freon above freezing. This will cause moisture on the coil to turn to ice, which will further block heat absorption, putting the unit into a downward spiral.
You cannot delay calling for repairs for when an AC has low Freon. If the air conditioner continues to run on a reduced charge, the compressor will suffer permanent damage, and that often requires replacing the entire air conditioning system.
Magic Touch Mechanical offers high quality air conditioning repair in Chandler, AZ. Call us today to experience first-hand our award-winning customer service.