Sometimes, even if you give your home air conditioner proper technical maintenance and support, it will just lose its cooling efficiency. When that happens, you might think you are to be blamed for it even when you are not. Didn’t you know it is normal for air conditioners to lose their cooling efficiency due to refrigerant leakage? In that case, you just need to re-gas your unit until it feels brand new again. But how do you know if your air conditioner already needs re-gassing?
In this article from an air conditioning installation expert in Brisbane, you will discover the telltale signs that your aircon needs gas refilling. But before that, let’s talk about what re-gassing is and why it is important for your air conditioning unit.
What is re-gassing?
Ever wondered how your air conditioner cools your room? It’s through a gas called freon. In the absence of this gas, your aircon will start throwing warm instead of cold air. Simply put, your air con is not an air con without freon. Here’s a little tip: once the vents of your unit start to blow warm air, that is your air con telling you that you need to refill it with freon so it can start releasing cool air again. That is what you call re-gassing.
How do you know if your air conditioner needs re-gassing?
If you ignore your aircon releasing warm air, then it will gradually become less and less efficient. Without re-gassing, your air conditioner will become nothing better than a fan! Take a look at the following signs that it’s time to re-gas your aircon:
- There is ice on your aircon
You will know when there is low freon charge in your aircon when ice begins to form on your unit’s refrigerant lines. If you spot frost there or anywhere on your unit, that might mean your aircon’s evaporator coil has frozen due to low freon levels. When there is low refrigerant, there is low pressure. And when there is low pressure, there is low temperature. And when we say “low,” we mean low enough to cause your evaporator coil to freeze.
- Your air con starts blowing warm air
Ever been to an establishment so hot you couldn’t help but ask yourself, “is their air conditioner turned on?” Well, this is the most common sign that an air conditioner needs re-gassing. When your air con gets low on freon, it starts to throw hot instead of cool air. The refrigerant leakage causes the quality of your air con’s air-cooling efficiency to decrease, ultimately causing its gas tank to become completely empty. When it reaches that point, you will no longer feel the difference between an air conditioner that’s turned on and one that’s off.
- It’s taking longer for your air con to cool your room
Is it taking longer than usual for your aircon to cool your room? Without enough freon, it is normal for your air conditioner to not be able to absorb much of the heat from your home. As a result, your unit struggles to cool your room. Suddenly, you will find that your air con’s usual cooling time increases. In worst cases, your air con may never be able to cool your home at all.
- You notice strange emissions
Is your air conditioner giving off an unusual smell or noise when you turn it on? Then that’s another sign that you need to re-gas it. When your air con gets low on freon, it starts producing a hissing sound due to pressure. There are times when you will also notice some water dripping from your unit.
- Air is not distributed evenly
Another common sign that your air conditioner is short on freon is the uneven distribution of air. When there is shortage in refrigerant, you will notice that one corner of your room is much colder than the rest. In that case, certain spaces in your room turn into cold zones while others do not seem to get any cool air at all. When your air con starts to become less efficient like that, your only way out is to have it re-gassed.
- Your electricity bill suddenly shocks you
Like we said, your air conditioner will take more time to cool your room when it is low on freon. Since your unit is struggling to do its job, it tends to consume more power. Well, it is normal to see changes in your energy bills during the summer and winter months due to your heating and cooling system requirements, but if you notice that your bill appears higher than usual, consider having an energy audit. This will help you find out if your unusually high electricity bill is due to your air conditioner becoming less efficient.
As an air con owner, it is your job to always be on the lookout for these signs and decide when it’s time to re-gas. Choosing not to re-gas your air conditioner when it needs to be re-gassed can produce adverse effects on its condenser and may ultimately render your unit useless. The question is—can you withstand the heat of the summer without a trusty air conditioner?