Signs Your Air Conditioner Needs More Refrigerant

Air conditioners use a chemical refrigerant. The refrigerant transfers heat from your Palm Desert, CA home to the outdoors. Sometimes, damage to the closed-loop system causes a leak, resulting in a low refrigerant level. Refrigerant leaks disrupt your comfort and harm the environment, notes the Department of Energy. If you notice any of the following signs, your air conditioner likely needs more refrigerant and a leak repair.

Warm Air

When your air conditioner has the right refrigerant level, your vents blow cold air into your rooms. When the refrigerant level is too low, your vents will blow room-temperature air. You might also notice a weak stream of air from the vents.

Constant AC Cycling

When your AC has a low refrigerant level, the thermostat will keep triggering more cooling cycles. This won’t stop until the leak is fixed and the unit is recharged with the right amount of refrigerant. The frequent cycling causes extra wear and tear on other parts of your cooling system, and it can also lead to unusually high electricity bills.

Unusual Sounds

When your air conditioner isn’t running, it shouldn’t make any noise. If you hear a hissing sound from the air conditioner, it may have an active leak. A bubbling or gurgling sound from the outdoor unit also suggests that the refrigerant is leaking out of the tubing.

Ice on Coils

If you notice ice on the AC coil, first check to see if you have a dirty air filter. Next, check the thermostat. The AC might be running a defrost cycle. After ruling out those causes of icy coils, your AC likely has a low refrigerant level. Low refrigerant overworks the system, causing condensation from the air to freeze on the coil.

To learn more about the signs of a low refrigerant level in your air conditioner, check out All Knight Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.’s air conditioner repair services, or reach out to our AC repair experts today.