Hello, my name is Darby Aldrich. I would like to talk to you about the importance of maintaining your air conditioning system. When I moved to a hot climate, I did not realize how vital having a running air conditioner was for living comfortably. When the unit just stopped working one day, the temperature inside the house rivaled the piping hot weather outdoors. We had to go to the community center to keep the kids from feeling sick. While we were gone, we had a local HVAC contractor fix the unit. She let us know that some simple maintenance tasks would prevent that situation in the future. I will use this site to closely explore those tasks in great detail. I hope you can use the information to keep your air conditioner running like new. Thanks.
If you live in a warm weather part of the country, then you very likely have started using your air conditioner already. If your AC unit is on full force this spring, then you should look out for signs of a coolant leak. Sudden poor performance, the appearance of a hissing noise, and the constant running of the system are a few signs. If you notice these things, then you may wonder if your AC unit is safe and also what you should do about the leak. Keep reading to find out.
Is The Coolant Leak Dangerous?
AC refrigerant or coolant leaks may or may not be dangerous depending on the type of system that you have on your property. If you have a newer system that has been manufactured and installed within the last five years or so, then the system probably contains a refrigerant like R-410A. This is also true if you have had a high-end and energy efficient system installed at some point.
R-410A is environmentally friendly and is not dangerous if you inhale it. However, the coolant is placed under a great deal of pressure. In fact, the coolant is placed under two or three times more pressure than old refrigerants. This means that the escaping vapor can cause a piece of the AC unit to fly into the air, so it is best to stay away from your cooling system if a leak is detected.
If you have an older system, then Freon may be leaking out of the AC unit. This is extremely dangerous to your health, so do not even come close to the air conditioner if a leak is detected.
What Should You Do?
As previously stated, stay away from the unit if a leak is detected. You should cut the power to the unit so it does not turn on. This can cause a variety of issues. Poor refrigerant levels can cause the compressor pump to run without the coolant running through it. This can cause the device to overheat and break. Other parts of the unit can overheat fairly quickly as well, especially since the unit will be cycling on and off a great deal due to the poor functionality of the device.
Once the unit is powered off, contact your air conditioning contractor right away. The individual will inspect the unit for a leak. Depending on the site of the leak, a patch will be secured or one or several parts will be replaced.
Sometimes, several leaks will be noted. For example, several holes may be found in the cooling coil of the unit. Patches cannot be used to fix this sort of problem, so a new unit will be suggested.
Share16 May 2017
