Staying cool in your South Florida home is a godsend during these hot months. All you need to do is set your thermostat to the ideal temperature, and voila, your home begins cooling down. It might seem like magic, but the truth is that your AC depends on several factors, with the refrigerant being the most important one.
What is Refrigerant?
If you are new to Florida or owning an AC, refrigerant may be a new term for you. It is a chemical substance used in a refrigeration cycle to transfer heat within a system. It is what enables air conditioners to function and refrigerators to keep food cold.
Your AC’s job is to keep your home cool, not warm. When warm air is pouring through your vents, something is not right. You can start by going through AC Care’s HVAC Checklist. Sometimes, it can be as simple as needing new batteries in your thermostat or changing a dirty air filter. If you’ve covered the simple parts of that checklist, check your refrigerant levels.
Is your AC blowing cold air but not cooling as well as it usually would, or not cooling down rooms as quickly as it used to? With low refrigerant, weak or low airflow is a sign that your system’s cooling is restricted. Why? When your refrigerant is low, your AC will not effectively absorb heat from the indoor air.
In today’s article, we are going to go over how you can tell when your refrigerant is getting low.
4 Signs of Low AC Refrigerant:
Hissing Noises
There will always be noise from an AC. Usually, it’s a humming noise that fades into the background, becoming white noise that can sometimes be soothing. If something is wrong with your AC, it will not sound pleasant. If it’s your refrigerant is leaking, it can cause a loud hissing sound.
Ice buildup:
That’s right, even in Florida, ice can build up, especially if your refrigerant is low. Is there ice forming on your evaporator coils or refrigerant lines? When your refrigerant is low, it can prevent your system from removing the warm air, causing the coils to reach extremely low temperatures and freeze over.
Constant cycling:
If the refrigerant is low, your AC may turn on and off frequently. This occurs because your AC is struggling to maintain the temperature but cannot do so due to its reduced cooling capability. Not only does the constant cycles waste energy, but it can lead to a damaged compressor.
Higher electric bills:
Summertime usually means your electric bill will be higher, as your AC works longer shifts to combat the hot heat and humidity. With low refrigerant, your AC has to work harder, so your energy bill might be higher than usual.
AC Care Solutions
If your AC is showing any tell-tale signs that its refrigerant is low, the best thing you can do is contact your local AC Care. We can address the signs properly and take care of the issue at hand.
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