We get this question from Minneapolis homeowners a lot—especially right before summer: “How do I know if my air conditioner needs refrigerant?” First of all, in a perfect world, your air conditioner should never need more refrigerant. Refrigerant isn’t used up like gas in a car. So you only need more refrigerant if there is a leak somewhere. And to know that for sure, you need an AC technician to measure the amount of refrigerant in your air conditioner. (This is one reason a yearly maintenance visit is a good idea.) But there are some signs that can clue you in. Here are 5 things to look for that might tell you that your AC needs more refrigerant. The refrigerant in your air conditioning system is responsible for absorbing heat from your indoor air and then dumping it outside. If your AC is low on refrigerant, it can’t absorb as much heat from your home. And that leads to an air conditioner that runs nonstop and never cools your home. As your air conditioner runs nonstop to try to cool your home, you’ll be racking up a huge cooling bill.

Of course, that sky-high energy bill could be caused by something else (like closing your air vents). So before jumping to conclusions, look for some of the other signs on this list, like... Without enough refrigerant, your air conditioner won’t be able to absorb as much heat from your home’s air. That means the air blowing out of the vents will feel warmer than normal. In some cases, there may also be less air blowing out of the vents. An air conditioner without enough refrigerant can literally freeze and turn into a big block of ice. The ice on the inside of the air conditioner blocks the airflow, reducing the amount of air that comes out of the vents. Walk outside and take a look at the refrigerant lines. Is there ice on them? Ice forming on refrigerant lines from low freon charge. After your inside AC freezes from low refrigerant, the ice can build up all the way to the outside unit along the refrigerant lines. Of course, by this time you should also have the symptoms above.

Most refrigerant leaks are silent because they’re pretty small. central air conditioner prices mississaugaBut a large leak can cause your air conditioner to make a hissing or bubbling noise when it’s running.ac unit freon price Don’t let an AC contractor just “top you off” with refrigerant. car ac repair fresno caRemember: if your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, it’s leaking somewhere. If you just refill it, you’ll be low again soon. A good AC tech will let you know that you have a leak and offer to fix it. Some companies don’t do that though because they’d rather just charge you to keep coming back and filling up your system. Plus, doing it the right way is time-consuming. Fixing a refrigerant leak involves:

Think you might have a refrigerant leak? MSP can find and fix the leak for you and get your AC back to working order. Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing, Heating and Air has served the Twin Cities since 1918.Common Air Conditioning Problems Common Air Conditioning Problems Air conditioners can fail at any time without warning. If you live in a climate that’s as hot and humid as Atlanta’s, you are asking a lot of your air conditioner!  You probably know since living in this warm climate that any air conditioner outages can result in significant discomfort rather quickly. Many air conditioning problems are a result of insufficient maintenance.  The easiest repair is one that’s avoided altogether by keeping up on regular maintenance check-ups.  In fact, if you haven’t been keeping up on your maintenance and notice your air conditioner starting to slack, a maintenance check-up may be just what you need to get your air conditioner back up to speed.  Some common problems homeowners experience that go beyond regular maintenance and should have checked out include: the compressor failing to turn on, the air not coming out cool enough, low airflow, and leaks.

Below are some ways you can diagnose air conditioning problems, descriptions of some common problems your air conditioning system may experience, and some special issues you should know about the refrigerant (freon) in your system. Ways to diagnose a problem: Check fuse box or circuit breaker.  First thing to do if your air conditioner is not functioning properly is to check the fuse box or circuit breaker that services the unit.  The fuse may need to be replaced or the circuit breaker reset. Air conditioner turns on and off frequently.  The compressor and fan controls may be worn out. Unit turning on but not cooling.  If your unit is turning on, but the air isn’t cooling efficiently, your refrigerant may be low.  You may also need to clean off the evaporator or condenser coils by brushing them off or vacuuming them.  In addition, the filter may need to be replaced.  Clogged, dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a system’s efficiency considerably.

Dirty air filters and/or closed or obstructed supply-air and return-air grilles may cause insufficient airflow through your system.These are usually associated with low refrigerant or a clogged drain pipe.  Clogs can be fixed by clearing out the clogged pipe within the evaporator coil pan.  Leaks should always be handled by a professional HVAC contractor. Common air conditioning problems:If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, either it was undercharged at installation or it leaks.  If it leaks, simply adding refrigerant is not a solution.  A trained AC technician should fix any leak, test the repair and then charge the system with the correct amount of refrigerant.  Remember that the performance and efficiency of your air conditioner is greatest when the refrigerant charge exactly matches the manufacturer’s specification, and is neither undercharged nor overcharged.  In addition, refrigerant leaks can be harmful to the environment.If you allow filters and air conditioning coils to become dirty, the air conditioner will not work properly, and the compressor or fans are likely to fail prematurely.

Electronic Controls and Sensors Failure.  The electronic controls and sensor that cause your air conditioner, fan and condenser to kick off and on properly are often the first components to go.  Sometimes these sensors are merely knocked out of position causing the air conditioner to cycle constantly or behave erratically.  Fortunately, problems of this nature are easy to address compared to larger mechanical failures, and won’t cost you nearly as much. Fan and Condenser Failure.  Fan and condenser failure, on the other hand, can add up to some pretty pricey repairs.  Replacing burnt-out fan motors is usually worth the expense in order to get your air conditioner up and running again, though a failed condenser can be a different story.  A new condenser is the most expensive AC repair in the books, and depending on the age and efficiency of your current air conditioner, it might be a smarter investment to just upgrade to a newer unit. Special Note About Air Conditioner Refrigerant (Freon): Contrary to popular belief, air conditioners do not consume refrigerant (freon) as a car consumes oil, so under ideal conditions it would never need changing or filling. 

Therefore, a low freon level indicates a leak which should be repaired before adding more.  While most new system connections are welded to minimize leaks, many older units (8+ years) were connected with mechanical flared fittings, which can vibrate loose over the years, causing leaks. Problems with freon leaks: Low freon levels reduce efficiency of the air conditioner. They can freeze the evaporator coil, causing it to literally ice up. Freon is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) controlled substance, deemed hazardous if released into the environment. The heart of the unit is the compressor, which is cooled by the refrigerant.  Over time, low freon levels can cause overheating and premature failure of the compressor, often requiring complete replacement of the compressor or the entire condensing unit.  As mentioned earlier this is a very expensive proposition. Always contact a HVAC professional when dealing with refrigerant (freon). Join our email newsletter