Summers in Olympia, WA are milder than other parts of the country, but our humidity often makes up for it, and an air conditioner is the best defense against those periodic heat waves. Leaking refrigerant ranks among the most common problems an AC system can experience, and something any prudent homeowner should attend to quickly before the temperatures spike. Refrigerant is the gas that makes air conditioning possible. When it leaks, it slows down the efficiency of your AC unit and can cause more serious problems if left untreated. Here are 3 signs of refrigerant leaks:
1. Higher Bills
If your electric bills go up without any additional use of your household appliances, it could mean that you air conditioner is working harder than it should to cool your home down. The less refrigerant it has, the less efficient it becomes.
2. Warmer Air
Along those lines, you may notice that the air blowing into your home isn’t as cool as it once was. The remaining refrigerant isn’t enough to keep the air cold, and again, your air conditioner has to expend unnecessary additional energy to do its job.
3. Frost on the Coils
Another big sign of a refrigerant leak is frost forming on the evaporator coils. It may sound like there isn’t a problem—frost means cold, right?—but the ice interferes with the evaporator’s ability to cool the air. Your unit must again work harder, increasing stress on the components and adding to the risk of a breakdown. Simply cleaning off the ice won’t fix the problem. You need to seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant, or it will just re-form. (Furthermore, you might damage the coils when scraping off the ice.)
If you see signs of a refrigerant leak, the experts at Sunset Air are ready to help. Call us today to schedule an appointment, and let us seal up that leak!
