Air Conditioner Running On Low Refrigerant

Air Conditioner Running on Low Refrigerant

We try to outline tips regarding the care and maintenance of HVAC systems for our customers and readers, but we also aim to inform you about serious problems your systems could be facing that require immediate service so you can avoid expensive repairs or full unit replacement! The issue of low refrigerant in your air conditioner is one of these problems.

Refrigerant is responsible for allowing your air conditioner to keep your home cool. Low refrigerant is not a problem that air conditioners routinely go through, as the refrigerant line is supposed to be permanently sealed. This means that if your unit is showing you signs that its refrigerant is running low, you have a leak that needs to be attended to as soon as possible to avoid any serious damage to your air conditioner.

What signs should you be looking for? There are 5 that are most common, and we’ve outlined them for you here today so you know to watch out for them.

1. Your Home is Always Kind of Warm: This is the first sign most people notice, as no matter how low you set your thermostat, your house doesn’t get cool and comfortable. It remains warm and you may see your thermostat drop a degree or two before it settles and won’t budge at all anymore.
2. Your Vents are Blowing Air that Isn’t Cool Enough: When you check the vents throughout your house, the air blowing through them just isn’t cool enough or is downright warm.
3. You’ve Received your Utility Bill, and it’s Higher than Usual: Paying more than you’re used to for utilities? This could be the result of low refrigerant forcing your air conditioner to work much harder in an attempt to cool your home. Your air conditioner is working harder and longer to no avail, and your bills show it.
4. When You Check Your Refrigerant Line, it’s Iced Over: This is a real red flag! If your refrigerant line (the tube leading from your outside air conditioner unit towards your house) has iced over, this means your air conditioner’s evaporator coil is getting very cold. This is forcing the refrigerant to flow back on its line and freeze surrounding moisture, which is the ice you see building up. This can lead to serious damage of your air conditioner’s compressor, which is one of the most expensive parts of your unit to repair or replace, so service is needed immediately.
5. You Hear a Hissing Sound or Similar Sound Coming from the Refrigerant Line: Now the leak may not be big enough for you to hear the noise clearly, but try to get close and hear any sound out of the ordinary. Even if you don’t hear anything, we still suggest contacting a professional as the other signs point to a leak and the sound just may not be loud enough for you to hear.

Martino HVAC proudly services all of the Greater Toronto Area and Quinte region’s home comfort system needs. If you believe you’re experiencing low refrigerant due to a leak in your refrigerant line, you can schedule a service here and one of our trained professionals will be happy to make the repair for you so you can avoid any further damage. We are also more than happy to answer any other questions you may have about your air conditioner or any other HVAC related inquiries, so feel free to contact us today!