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Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog

Beware of Low Refrigerant in Your Air Conditioning System

Low refrigerant is a common problem in the early parts of cooling season, but with summer on its way here in Bridgeville, DE, it’s not a problem you can ignore. Low refrigerant creates a great deal of trouble for your air conditioning system, forcing it to work harder and costing you more in monthly bills as well as setting the stage for a more serious breakdown to follow. Refrigerant leaks can spring up at anytime, but when they appear over the winter they can go on for months before being detected. That’s why you should always check for leaking refrigerant at about this time of year. It will help protect your system in the long run.

Signs of Leaking Refrigerant

When refrigerant leaks, it disrupts the chemical process required for your air conditioner to work. Each make and model of air conditioner requires a specific kind of refrigerant in a specific amount. Lower that amount, and frost forms on the evaporator coils. That’s not a good thing, since the frost insulates the air you need cooled from the remaining refrigerant doing the cooling. That forms an escalating sprial, as the system loses more and more refrigerant and has to work harder and harder to do its job until some other, more vital component suffers a breakdown.

Spotting the Issue

You may be able to spot a refrigerant leak by listening for hissing or bubbling sounds, or noting an unusually high amount of money for your air conditioning bill. The best way to spot a problem, however, is to look for frost on your evaporator coils. If you notice any, turn off your system and call a repair service. Never scrape off the frost. It won’t solve the problem and you could easily damage the coils, which will cost quite a bit to replace.

Trust Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning to recharge refrigerant in your system!

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