3 Signs That You Have an AC Refrigerant Leak

A refrigerant leak is a common AC issue you may experience in your Stafford, Texas, home. Refrigerant helps your air conditioner remove warm air and relocate it outside to cool your home. But sometimes your refrigerant can begin to leak. Leaking refrigerant not only causes performance and efficiency issues in your air conditioner, but it can also result in serious health problems for anyone exposed to it. Have you seen ice buildup on your outdoor unit? Is your AC system making a hissing sound or blowing warm air? These are signs the AC refrigerant could be leaking.

Ice Buildup

Your AC system needs the right amount of airflow and refrigerant to keep the evaporator coil from freezing over. Most people only realize something is wrong once they see ice forming on the outdoor unit. This is a typical sign of low AC refrigerant or a dirty air filter.

If you notice ice on your AC unit, turn it off right away and check your filter. If the filter is clean, leave the unit off and immediately call a service technician. Running your air conditioner with ice buildup can damage or break the compressor.

AC Blowing Warm Air

When your AC system is low on refrigerant, the air coming out of your registers won’t be as cold. An AC refrigerant leak could be to blame. Remember, refrigerant isn’t like gas in a car that gets used up. If your unit is low on refrigerant, it’s due to a leak in your AC system.

Hissing Sound

Holes or punctures in refrigerant lines cause leaks. As the refrigerant leaks out, it often creates a hissing sound that can be heard either in your home or near the condenser unit, depending on where the leak is at. A large leak may cause a gurgling sound.

Refrigerant exposure is dangerous. If you encounter any of the above signs, contact Conditioned Air at (281) 561-6911 right away. We’ll thoroughly inspect your refrigerant lines for any leaks. We include a refrigerant leak check in all our air conditioner tune-ups.

Image provided by Shutterstock