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Serving the South Puget Sound and Western Washington Areas Since 1976

Serving the South Puget Sound and Southwest Washington Areas Since 1976

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Sunset Air Blog

Refrigerant Leaks and the Threat They Pose to Your AC

air-conditionerThere are a lot of different issues that can afflict your air conditioner, some of which are more dangerous to the system than others. One of the biggest threats is something that often goes unnoticed by homeowners: refrigerant leaks. While a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner may be small, it can actually cause the entire air conditioner to break down if you’re not careful. Have a look at some of the reasons why it’s so important to have refrigerant leaks repaired as soon as possible.

Refrigerant and Air Conditioning

Refrigerant isn’t a specific fluid, but rather a catch-all term for several different kinds of heat transfer fluids that different systems use for cooling. Your air conditioner evaporates refrigerant to absorb heat from the air in your ducts, and then condenses the refrigerant gas in the outdoor unit to vent the collected thermal energy. The air conditioner uses the same amount of refrigerant for its entire life, recycling the supply back and forth between the units.

A refrigerant leak is a problem because it deprives the air conditioner of a fluid vital to its operation. The lower the refrigerant level in the air conditioner drops, the less cooling ability the system will have. If the refrigerant level in the air conditioner drops low enough, the AC will break down entirely. For this reason, you should make absolutely sure that you call for repairs if you notice fluid dripping from your air conditioner. You should also call for repairs if you notice your system’s output dropping.

If you need help getting your air conditioner back into proper operating condition, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts. We’ll make sure that your air conditioner stays in proper shape throughout the summer.

Sunset Air offers comprehensive air conditioner repair services throughout Olympia, WA.

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