Do You Know What Freon Is?
You’ve probably heard about freon before. It’s in pretty much every home in America and modern life wouldn’t be the same without it. People's fridges and air conditioners wouldn’t cool without it. Unfortunately, it is possible for your air conditioner to leak freon.
While this isn’t necessarily dangerous to you or your family in and of itself, it will cause problems with your air conditioner. That’s why this article will tell you all about how freon works, what it is, and how to tell if you have a freon leak.
What Is Freon?
Freon is a chemical that can be a gas or a liquid, depending on how it is manipulated. In a typical air conditioner, freon transfers from gas to liquid over and over again. Without enough freon, your air conditioner would stop cooling efficiently and may stop cooling altogether. Many people talk about ‘topping off freon’ but this phrase is misleading. Freon shouldn’t leak out of an AC system. If you ever need to ‘top off’ the freon in your AC system, you’ve got a freon leak that needs to be fixed immediately.
When an HVAC technician determines that there is a freon leak, he has to fully empty the system. Freon leaks can be very small and difficult to find. HVAC experts can test and fix leaks in a timely manner, saving you money in the long run. In extreme cases, you may need to replace your refrigerant coil, which is a costly operation. But, ignoring a refrigerant leak will surely cost you money as it can affect other parts of the system.
Freon HVAC Services
Freon cools by exchanging temperatures with the environment. In an AC system, freon is forced through a condenser coil made of copper or aluminum. When the refrigerant is in the coil, it is able to interact with the environment outside, cooling the air around the coil.
That cool air is then used to cool your home while the warm air from inside is transferred outside. But, it can be hard to tell whether you have a freon leak. Read below to see the signs that you may have a leak.
One major sign that you have a freon leak is a lack of cold air coming through your vents. Your AC will still be blowing air, but it won’t be cold.
When you have a refrigerant leak, your electric bill will increase because your system keeps trying to cool but can never get there without the proper amount of freon. Two other signs to keep an eye out for are ice on your condenser coil and a hissing sound coming from your outdoor unit. If you notice any of these signs, call an HVAC company as soon as you can.
Freon Maintenance Tips
As a homeowner, the best thing you can do to prevent freon leaks is to take good care of your air conditioning system. This means cleaning air filters regularly, cleaning your outdoor unit annually, and preventing any blockages or obstructions around your outdoor unit.
It’s also a good idea to schedule regular maintenance checks with a reputable HVAC company. Their techs can spot early warning signs of a freon leak and help you prevent expensive fixes.
About John Herny’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning
John Henry’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning has been serving Lincoln, Nebraska for over 20 years. They are all about providing quality work at a reasonable cost. They provide up-front pricing and their licensed and insured techs always arrive on-time and ready to perform high-quality work in a timely manner.
