uneven temperatures in your home

When you have an air conditioning system, you need to be aware of the signs of a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant is one of the liquids that run through your air conditioner. It is kept under high pressure within lines inside of your AC unit. The compressor helps to maintain the pressure. The refrigerant helps to cool down the air so that your home is as comfortable as possible.

Sometimes, although it is supposed to stay inside your unit, refrigerant leaks out of your unit. This can happen because the pipes and lines that carry it eventually develop a rupture or leak over time. When this happens, your air conditioner will give you some warning signs that will let you know you have a refrigerant leak that needs to be fixed.

Sign #1: Inefficiency 

You should be pretty familiar with how your air conditioner runs. You should know what it feels like when it is running efficiently, and your energy bills should be pretty consistent from month to month.

If you suddenly notice your system is running longer but not giving you the same results. Or if you notice that your energy bills are going up, but you seem to be using energy in the same way. Both of these are signs of inefficiency that could mean that your unit is leaking refrigerant.

Sign #2: Lukewarm Air

Next, you should pay attention to how the air feels that is coming out of your unit. The air coming out should feel cool to cold. It should not feel lukewarm. If your unit has been on and running for more than an hour, it should be pumping out cool air. If the air is still lukewarm, that is a strong sign that you have a refrigerant leak. When the very substance that is supposed to cool down the air is leaking, the air will feel lukewarm, not cold.

Sign #3: Strange Sounds

Third, when you are running your unit, pay attention to how it sounds. If you start to hear a bubbling or hissing sound when your unit is running, that is a common sign that your unit is leaking refrigerant. 

The hissing sound is from gas coming out of the refrigerant lines. The gas helps with sending and compressing the refrigerant through the lines; when a line is damaged, that gas that is supposed to be pushing the liquid will leak out and make a hissing sound. 

The bubbling sound happens when air bubbles get into the line where the refrigerant should be. 

Refrigerant is key to keeping your unit cool. If your unit starts to leak refrigerant, you will begin to notice that the air isn't as cool as it should be, and over time the air will go from cool to lukewarm to warm. Your unit may start to make hissing and bubbling sounds and may not run efficiently.  

For more information, contact an air conditioning repair service.