Has Your Air Conditioner Run Out Of Refrigerant? Here's How To Check

Air conditioner refrigerant is the fluid that absorbs heat from the indoor air, allowing your home to cool down. It flows between the evaporator and the condensing unit to complete a cooling cycle. Ideally, your AC should never run out of refrigerant. However, if there is a leak along the refrigerant line, the fluid will run out, causing cooling problems with your air conditioner. Below are four ways to determine whether your unit has run out of refrigerant.

Listen for Hissing Sounds

A small puncture in the refrigerant line can cause the fluid to leak and produce a hissing or bubbling sound. If you hear this sound coming from your indoor unit, the fluid is leaking. Luckily, it won't have run out already. Therefore, you can cover the puncture with duct tape to contain the leak. However, your contractor should seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant to restore the unit's cooling performance.

Monitor the Unit's Cooling Times

How long does it take your air conditioner to cool your entire home? Have you noticed any significant changes in cooling times? This could be due to low refrigerant. The refrigerant draws heat from the indoor air and cools it down to the pre-set thermostat setting. Therefore, if the fluid level is low, the unit will take longer to pull out all the heat from the indoor spaces. You may even notice that the thermostat never reaches the pre-set temperature. Fix the leak in the refrigerant line and recharge the fluid to achieve efficient cooling.

Check for Ice Buildup on Evaporator Coil

Low refrigerant lowers the pressure inside the system, which leads to a dramatic drop in temperatures. As the refrigerant flows through the evaporator coils, the moisture in the air condenses and freezes due to the low temperatures. This causes the coils to freeze as well. Also, the ice may melt and cause water to pool around the unit. If you notice ice buildup or moisture around the evaporator, your AC may be low on refrigerant.

Feel the Vents for Warm Air

If you have a ducted air conditioning unit, your system comes with supply and return vents. When the air conditioner is running, hot air is drawn towards the return vents while cool air blows through the supply vents. If you place your hand over the supply vents, you should feel cold air blowing through the vents. If it is warm, your system may be low on refrigerant. When the system is low on coolant, it cannot remove all the heat from the air. Consequently, the vents supply warm air, leading to insufficient cooling.

Recharge your unit's refrigerant to restore proper cooling. For repair services, consult your HVAC contractor.

For more information, reach out to a company such as Kleen Air Services.