Refrigerant is your air-conditioning system’s blood. It picks up heat from your indoor air and carries it outside, where it’s expelled. Your AC system won’t cool your house adequately without the right refrigerant level.
Signs of Low Refrigerant Levels
The following signs may mean that your air conditioner requires a refrigerant charge:
- Increased energy bills
- Your AC system blowing warm air
- Ice on the refrigerant line
- A bubbling or hissing noise
Before concluding that your air conditioner is low on refrigerant and requires charging, ensure that you’ve already had routine maintenance performed on the system. That’s because a dirty air filter, evaporator coil, condenser coil, or blower wheel may cause symptoms similar to those of an air conditioner that’s low on refrigerant.
How to Check to See If More Refrigerant Is Needed
The AC charging process will require a set of gauges comprising a manifold with a low- and high-pressure gauge and hoses to attach the gauges to your system’s ports. The gauges will measure the operating pressures. You’ll also need a thermometer to measure the temperature of the air and an infrared thermometer or thermocouple-based meter to measure the temperatures of the pipes containing the refrigerant.
Pressure and temperature readings help you calculate superheat or subcooling and determine if your system requires more refrigerant. If you have a newer unit, it most likely has a label on its electrical-compartment cover telling you what you should measure and the appropriate values for the unit.
If your system needs refrigerant, your AC system has a leak that you’ll need to fix first. After finding the leak, you’ll need to remove the remaining refrigerant before fixing the leak and adding the appropriate amount to get the right refrigerant level for your system. R-22 refrigerant is usually added in vapor form (though as of Jan. 1, 2020, it is not legal to make or import it in the United States), whereas R-410A and other blended refrigerants are added in a liquid state.
Refrigerant is toxic, so any refrigerant leak will have to be fixed by a licensed HVAC professional. Contact the heating and cooling experts at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning if you suspect your system doesn’t have the right refrigerant level or you need help with any other AC issue in the Lorain area.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area