When you have an air conditioner or heat pump system, it circulates refrigerant to provide cooling in the summer. If your AC system develops a leak, you lose some of the refrigerant and the ability to cool. There are a few telltale signs when a leak occurs:
- Loss of cooling power
- Registers are not blowing cold air
- Indoor coils are frozen
- Your electric bills have increased
- Your indoor AC unit is making a hissing (or even gurgling) sound
An AC refrigerant leak is caused by holes or cracks in the coils that circulate the refrigerant. It may be tempting to just add new refrigerant to get the system back up and running. While it may be a short-term solution, this option can be very expensive in the long run, because you haven’t truly addressed the problem; the refrigerant will just leak out again.
There are also cases where some people might try to take matters into their own hands by applying a sealant for a small refrigerant leak, but this temporary solution can result in additional blockages, which can cause more damage to your system. This avoidance of the real problem can also lead to other serious equipment failures, costing you both time and money (and a lack of home comfort!). If you have a refrigerant leak and it is accessible, it may actually be somewhat easy to have professionally fixed.
At BelRed, we want to do the right thing for the customer. Sometimes the age of your home comfort system determines what kind of repairs can be made. If your air conditioning system has the old R22 refrigerant and has a leak, then it may be better to install new equipment because R22 is not being manufactured in the United States since the R22 freon phase out in January 2020.
Concerned that your heating and cooling system might have a refrigerant leak? At BelRed, we will make sure that you understand all the options so you can comfortably make the right choice to either repair or replace your HVAC system. We also offer preventative maintenance plans for your peace of mind. Just give BelRed a call and we’ll give you our best!
