How Do I Know If My AC Needs Freon?

At Express Air, a very common question we get from homeowners is how to know when your AC needs more refrigerant. This is because many homeowners worry that their cooling system has reached the end of its life or AC won’t cool their homes in the summer months without it. However, the refrigerant in air conditioners works a bit differently than many people believe.

What is Freon?

Freon is the name of the chemical refrigerant used in air conditioners today. It is simply the part of an AC that cools the air. The refrigerant flows through the coils of your AC, where it absorbs heat from inside the house and releases it outside, cooling the air in your home.

When Should Freon Be Added?

Unlike car refrigerant, your AC should never need more Freon. The coils where it flows are an enclosed space, meaning that Freon shouldn’t run out. The only way your AC can be low on Freon is if there is a leak in the system, so contact a professional if you believe your AC is leaking refrigerant.

How to Know If Your AC Needs Freon

Because leaking Freon is a major problem for an AC system, homeowners should learn to recognize the signs of low refrigerant. Your AC may be leaking refrigerant if you notice these signs:

• The AC runs constantly without cooling the house
• The air from your vents isn’t cold
• You have abnormally high energy bills (because the system runs continuously)
• There’s ice on the refrigerant lines
• Bubbling or hissing sounds happen when the AC isn’t running

If you recognize any of these signs, contact your AC company right away. Act fast to prevent more chemical refrigerant from escaping into the environment and return your AC to working order.

Contact a Professional

It’s important to contact a reputable company for all AC repair services, but especially for a refrigerant leak. If your technician suggests “topping off” the refrigerant in your system, they aren’t actually fixing the problem. Ensure that the technician repairs the leak first.

When it comes to AC repair, Pensacola relies on Express Air Conditioning and Heating to do the job right. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.