As the summer rolls in, homeowners are switching on their air conditioning units to keep cool from the scorching heat. It’s also the perfect time to recognize the components that work hard to keep us comfortable, including your AC’s refrigerant.
The refrigerant is a crucial component of your AC system where it’s responsible for absorbing heat from the environment and converting it into a colder airflow. It usually comes in a gas or liquid form.
However, it can be tricky to determine if your AC system needs a refrigerant refill because these symptoms can also indicate you need urgent repairs.
This article will enumerate four warning signs your AC needs an urgent refrigerant charge.
1. Hissing or Bubbling Noises
One clear sign your AC needs urgent refrigerant charge is when you hear hissing or bubbling noises from the surrounding areas of your AC unit. These sounds could indicate that the refrigerant is leaking. Hissing noises mean your AC’s refrigerant is escaping in gas form. On the other hand, bubbling sounds mean it’s leaking a liquid.
If you hear any of these noises from your AC unit, we strongly recommend calling a professional immediately to repair them.
2. Warm Air from the Supply Vents
AC units blowing warm air can be frustrating and uncomfortable, especially during the summer.
Adequate refrigerant levels absorb heat from your home’s air and convert it into colder air. On the other hand, low levels will cause your AC unit to blow warmer air from the supply vents.
Other Causes of Warm Air
Besides learning this clear sign, you must also understand the other causes of warm air. Before contacting a professional to recharge your system, it’s best to replace the system’s air filter because a clogged filter can prevent your system from attracting warm air. Less warm air in your system means less cool air for you.
On the other hand, your AC unit may suffer from low refrigerant levels if you’ve replaced your AC filter and the system is still blowing out warm air. We recommend calling AC repair services immediately to address the issue.
3. High Energy Bills
Besides being frustrating to most homeowners, high energy bills indicate that your AC unit may have a refrigerant leak.
The refrigerant is the essential component responsible for cooling your home. Without enough refrigerant, your AC can’t eliminate enough heat per cooling cycle, forcing your system to work longer and harder to keep your home comfortable. Eventually, the longer run times will result in higher energy bills.
Other Causes of High Energy Bills
Besides the low refrigerant levels, an aging AC system can contribute to higher electric bills because of low efficiency.
The wrong AC unit size for your home can also be a culprit for high energy bills because it will force the system to work hard to meet your home’s demand or will always turn on and off, even if you’re not touching the switch.
However, if you have a new cooling unit or found one that suits your space and it still malfunctions, we recommend checking the filters. Dirty filters could restrict smooth airflow, forcing the system to work harder.
4. Frost on Your AC
Lastly, it’s best to charge your AC’s refrigerant if you notice any frost or ice forming on your cooling unit. Low refrigerant levels can cause the temperature to drop.
While frost can contribute to a malfunctioning cooling unit, you must also know the other causes of this problem, such as dirty filters and closed vents.
However, if you still encounter these other issues after cleaning and opening the vents, call AC repair services immediately because you might have a refrigerant leak.
A Cooler Home
While your AC’s refrigerant may be an essential component of your cooling unit, you must also remember that it can be poisonous if you handle it yourself. For this reason, it’s always best to call AC repair services to fix your cooling system efficiently.
AutumnAir offers high-quality AC repair services in Birmingham, Alabama, to help homeowners enjoy the summer better. Contact us now to enjoy a more comfortable home!