Low Refrigerant Blues (And Why You Might Need Air Conditioner Repair Service) | San Antonio, TX
If your air conditioning system doesn’t seem to be cooling off your home as well as it used to, you may need air conditioner repair service. While there are many reasons why your AC unit may not be functioning optimally, it could be low on refrigerant. That’s not a DIY type of fix. If your AC system is running low on refrigerant, it could have a leak, and that can lead to bigger air conditioner repair problems. Customers throughout San Antonio, TX, trust bluefrog Plumbing + Drain + HVAC of San Antonio for our AC repair, maintenance, and replacement services. Our skilled HVAC technicians can get your AC unit back into tip-top shape to keep your home cool and comfortable throughout the long hot season.
What Are the Signs of Low Refrigerant?
There are several signs you may notice that may indicate that your refrigerant is low or that your AC unit has a refrigerant leak. These signs may include:
You Hear a Bubbling or Hissing Sound
If you walk past your AC system and hear a sound like bubbling or hissing, there’s likely a leak. As refrigerant escapes through a tiny hole or puncture in the unit’s refrigerant line, it makes a slight hissing or bubbling noise. If you hear this noise coming from your outdoor unit, call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain + HVAC of San Antonio to schedule air conditioner repair service right away.
It Takes a Long Time for Your Home to Cool Off
When your AC unit’s refrigerant is low, it will take the system longer to cool off your home. If it’s the middle of July, for example, and you’ve had your AC running for days, you might think that your house simply isn’t as cool as before. We can send our AC technicians to your home to check out the issue and determine if there’s a refrigerant leak or another problem with your system.
Vents Are Blowing Warm Air
If your vents are blowing hot air, check to make sure that no one accidentally switched your HVAC system from AC to heat. If it’s set to cool, there’s definitely a problem and it could mean that the system is low on refrigerant. However, there could be other factors at play. That’s why you need professional air conditioner repair service to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
Icy Refrigerant Lines
Your refrigerant lines and evaporator coils can ice up if the system is low on refrigerant. An ice build-up is a telltale sign of a refrigerant leak. Again, in these cases, it’s important to schedule air conditioner repair right away. Leaking refrigerant can damage your unit and is also an environmental hazard.
Water Is Leaking Around Your Heater
You never want to see water puddling or leaking around your furnace. However, if you have a refrigerant leak, it can happen. When the icy from frozen evaporator coils melts, it can leave a puddle near your furnace. That’s often a sign of a refrigerant leak.
Temperature Set on Thermostat Is Never Reached
If your air conditioning system is low on refrigerant, it may not reach your desired temperature. That’s a common sign of a problem. Don’t ignore that issue–even if it’s just off by a degree or two. Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain + HVAC of San Antonio as you may need air conditioner repair. Remember that it’s typically less costly to fix small problems than to wait for those small issues to become bigger ones that require more expensive repairs.
Energy Bill Is Higher Than Usual
During a San Antonio, TX, summer, it’s not uncommon for electric bills to go up–even way up. However, if your bill is higher than the previous summer for the month in question, you may have an issue with your AC system, and it could be a refrigerant leak.
Schedule Air Conditioner Repair Service
Whether your air conditioning system is low on refrigerant or has actually sprung a refrigerant leak, you’ll want to let our air conditioner repair technicians thoroughly check your system. Adding more refrigerant isn’t the answer unless there’s no leak in the system or your AC tech has repaired the leak. At that point, our certified technician can add more refrigerant to the system. Adding more refrigerant without fixing the leak won’t fix any of the above problems for long; if there’s a leak, any newly added refrigerant will leak out of the system too.
It’s important to fix a refrigerant leak right away because it can overtax your AC system and cause other damage. When your unit isn’t cooling your house to achieve your desired temperature set on your thermostat, it will keep trying to. That means it’s working overtime to reach a temperature that it probably won’t be able to because of its low refrigerant level. All this overtime means that your energy bills, as mentioned, will skyrocket. The sooner you obtain air conditioner repair service, the better.
If you suspect that your AC unit is leaking refrigerant or exhibiting any of the issues listed above, contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain + HVAC of San Antonio. We’ll bring all the tools and equipment needed to inspect your AC unit. Remember, the above problems may be caused by low refrigerant, but there could also be a different problem at play.
Customers can trust our certified HVAC technicians to troubleshoot their system to find exactly what’s wrong whether there’s one issue or several. We have experience maintaining and repairing all types of AC units in operation around San Antonio, TX. Talk to our technicians about annual maintenance. We can check refrigerant levels before the summer season. Annual inspections can often ward off problems and enhance the longevity of your AC system. Call us to schedule your maintenance or repair service today.
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