The Most Common Signs Of Trouble With Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leaks

Your central air conditioning system is a workhorse during the peak summer days. Unfortunately, those days when your air conditioner is in its highest demand are also the days when that system is most likely to fail. One of the most common causes of central air conditioning failure is a refrigerant leak. If the refrigerant leaks from your air conditioning system, it reduces the system's cooling power and efficiency. Here are some of the indications that your air conditioner is losing refrigerant.

Excessive Operation

An air conditioning system that's losing refrigerant is going to have to work harder to cool the house properly. If you notice that your air conditioning system is running far more than it used to, that's a key indication that there's a problem with the refrigerant levels or you should at least have the system tested. Ignoring something like this will lead to increased energy bills from the system running so consistently.

Frozen Evaporator Coils

The evaporator coils in your air conditioning system are a crucial part of the cooling process. When the air conditioner has to work harder to properly cool the space, the coils can freeze over. This will lead to reductions in operational efficiency and increased costs. Insufficient refrigerant can increase the risk of frozen coils in your air conditioner, which will lead to further problems keeping your home cool.

Whistling or Hissing Sounds

If you stand near the air conditioning condenser outside of your home, you can often hear a refrigerant leak. You'll have to catch it in the early stages before the pressure is reduced too much, but then you'll hear either a hissing or whistling sound coming from the air conditioning condenser. That's a key sign that it's time to call an air conditioning repair technician.

Inefficient Cooling

Sometimes, the air coming from your air conditioner just doesn't feel like it's cool. If it seems warmer than it has been, that is often the result of low refrigerant. Any time your air conditioner seems too warm or just isn't getting the job done, it's time to call a repair technician. They can assess the entire system, including testing the refrigerant pressure, to help you get to the bottom of it.

Talk with a local air conditioning repair technician for more help. They can get you the answers you need about what's going on with your home's climate control system and its inefficiencies.

Contact a company like Albright Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more.