To cool your house efficiently, your air conditioner needs to have adequate refrigerant in its system. If the refrigerant to too low, the temperature in your house will not lower sufficiently to keep you cool in the summer. More importantly, however, too little refrigerant can drastically damage your air conditioner. To avoid any problems due to low refrigerant levels, be aware of the following signs.
House Stays Warm when the Air Conditioner is Running
If you notice that it is taking a long time for your air conditioner to cool your home or the internal temperature never reaches your thermostat setting, low refrigerant levels could be the cause.
Warm Air Blows Out of Air Conditioner Supply Vent
Be mindful of the temperature of the air blowing out of your air conditioner’s supply vent. It should be cool, not lukewarm or warmer.
High Electric Bills
An air conditioner that has low refrigerant levels must work harder to reach and maintain its target temperature. This will be reflected in your electricity bill, so keep track of A/C usage and costs to see any discrepancies.
Ice Forming on Your Air Conditioner
Low refrigerant is one of the two most common reasons ice forms on an air conditioning unit. To learn why and what to do when it happens, see our blog post, “Why Ice Forms on Your Air Conditioning Unit.”
A Hissing Sound is Heard in the Air Conditioner
Very small refrigerant leaks are impossible to audibly detect, but larger leaks are often accompanied by a hissing sound.
Fixing A/C Leaks
Leaks within an air conditioning unit should be fixed by a professional. If you live in Delaware in towns like Milford or Rehoboth Beach or in Maryland in towns like Parsonsburg or Salisbury, contact First Class HVAC as soon as you suspect a leak exists. We are a fully-licensed heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and plumbing company with over 40 years of experience.