Do I Need to Refill My AC Refrigerant?

Monday, September 26th, 2016 at 11:00 am

We often get this question from homeowners when we're repairing or servicing their air conditioning systems. Refrigerant is a very important part of air conditioner operation, and while it does need to be replaced under certain circumstances, that only happens rarely. Let's take a look at how your air conditioner uses refrigerant, and when it requires more.

Refrigerant

An air conditioner uses refrigerant to transfer heat out of the home. During operation, the system evaporates refrigerant to siphon thermal energy from the air in the ducts. The refrigerant gas then travels down the refrigerant line to the condenser coil outside, where it is condensed back into liquid to release the collected heat out of the home. The refrigerant is then sent back to the indoor unit to be evaporated again.

Your air conditioner doesn't actually consume refrigerant while it's operating. Instead, it recycles the refrigerant back and forth throughout the system. The initial amount of refrigerant that an air conditioner gets during its initial installation should be more than enough to last for its entire lifespan. There is only one time when this is not the case.

Refrigerant Leaks

If a leak develops in the refrigerant line, as can sometimes happen, it will drain the system of the fluid that it needs to operate. This will cause the output of the system to steadily decline over time, and eventually parts of the air conditioner will start malfunctioning. If the refrigerant leak isn't found, and the lost refrigerant replaced, the air conditioner will eventually break down entirely. Call for repairs if you ever notice liquid dripping from your system.

American Heating & Cooling offers air conditioning repair services throughout Paintsville, KY. Call today for an appointment with one of our air conditioning experts. We'll make sure your air conditioner is in top operating condition.