Hearing about a leak anywhere in your home is an unpleasant prospect. But is a leak from your air conditioner as serious as a leaking pipe?
Well, the answer is that it both is and isn’t as serious. No, a refrigerant leak isn’t going to cause the same level of water damage that a pipe leak could. But a leak in your AC should still be handled quickly before it causes some serious trouble.
Read on to discover what the signs are to watch for that tell you when you need an AC repair in New Bern, NC.
What Causes a Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant leaks, much like pipe leaks, are something that can happen due to increasing age and regular wear and tear. The refrigerant line can start to wear down and eventually may spring a leak in the indoor or outdoor unit. While maintenance of your system can help to prevent this issue in a majority of cases, it may still pop up, especially in an older system.
If you do discover that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak, the important thing to do is to get it repaired as quickly as you can.
How to Tell You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant leaks may not always be obvious. Here are some of the warning signs to watch for:
- A hissing or bubbling noise: These sounds can indicate a leak in your refrigerant line. The hiss may be caused by gaseous refrigerant escaping the line while bubbling may indicate a leak in the part of the line where the refrigerant is still in liquid form.
- Your system is short cycling: Another sign that your system is struggling with a refrigerant line is when it starts to short cycle. This can indicate that your AC is overheating or may not be able to adjust the temperature to where it needs to be. Short cycling is both a symptom of trouble and a cause of more trouble so make sure to get it checked soon.
- There is a frozen evaporator coil: Last but not least, you may notice a frozen evaporator coil in your air conditioner. This can be caused by a refrigerant leak as it reduces the heat absorption rate and may cause the system to chill the evaporator coil itself and eventually cause it to freeze.
Handling a Refrigerant Leak
If your system has a refrigerant leak, then you will want to reach out to a professional to get the issue repaired. Our technicians can identify if and when you have a refrigerant leak, repair it, and then recharge (refill) your refrigerant supply so your air conditioner is able to work properly again.
Refrigerant leaks aren’t something to ignore. But they are a repair that our team members can fix quickly and effectively. We even provide 24-hour emergency services.
Book your AC repairs with Airtech Mechanical Services, Inc. Get The Airtech Advantage when you work with our highly-trained, NATE-certified technicians.