It’s common knowledge that air conditioners need refrigerant to cool homes. However, your system may have a tiny leak that leads to too little refrigerant being in your system. Consider these signs that your East Helena, MT, AC needs a refrigerant recharge and the best way to check it.
System Blowing Hot Air
Is your AC producing hot or warm air from the supply vents while it’s running? If so, there are several possible causes, including too little refrigerant in the system. Start by checking your air filter, then move on to investigating the refrigerant level and other problems.
Iced-Up Refrigerant Lines
When refrigerant pressure drops, so does its temperature. If that pressure drop happens in the refrigerant lines, then any exposed lines will frost up and freeze. The cause is often a failure to build pressure in the condensing coil, causing low pressure elsewhere.
Unusual Sounds
The only sound a properly functioning air conditioner should make is the gentle whir of the condensing and circulating fans. If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, it’s likely because you have a leak somewhere in the system. You may hear a hissing or bubbling sound around the area of the leak, indicating you need AC repair services.
Climbing Energy Bills
Keep a close eye on your energy bills for how much electricity you consume. If you notice your consumption continues rising without another reason, you may have a refrigerant leak. The best way to check for this is to compare each month to the year prior.
How to Check Your Refrigerant Level
You must have specialized equipment to properly check your refrigerant level as well as knowledge of how to use it. A technician will check your refrigerant levels during annual maintenance and perform other tasks to keep your system running efficiently.
Make sure your air conditioner is running at its peak capacity. Call to schedule your air conditioning maintenance with the highly rated technicians at Superior Heating & Cooling, Inc.
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