How Often Does My Home AC Need Refrigerant?

How Often Does My Home AC Need Refrigerant?

If everything is working properly, your AC should never need refrigerant.

In fact, a central air conditioner should never need refrigerant added unless there’s a refrigerant leak.

Most units come shipped from the manufacturer with the exact amount of refrigerant, give or take a little for the refrigerant lines, that it will need for the duration of its life.

So, unlike a car, your HVAC system won’t ever need to “fill up” on refrigerant unless something is wrong with the system. You see, refrigerant, is a special chemical used to absorb and release heat from the air, it is contained within copper coils that travel in a giant loop from your indoor AC unit (the evaporator) to the outdoor AC unit (the condenser).  It is a closed circuit and will only leak with a failure.

If your AC is freezing up, if you notice frost on the units, you will need to repair that leak as soon as possible.

If you’re just “topping it off" you’re wasting money, harming the environment, and possibly committing finable offense. The EPA can fine the tech, the company, and even the property owner for knowingly releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere. In one recent case, a man was sentenced to 54 months in jail for releasing R22 into the ozone.

Refrigerant repairs are not cheap, but they may save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Choose a reputable heating and air company. Call Atlanta Air Authority today at 678-215-6789 for an honest and reputable tech who will treat you fairly and properly.

Freon is the commercial name for R22

Puron is the commercial name for R410a

They are the most common type of central AC refrigerant

Trouble Signs for Low Refrigerant Include:

• Warm air coming from vents
• Higher-than-normal energy bills
• Ice on refrigerant lines
• A frozen evaporator coil
• A hissing or bubbling sound coming from the refrigerant lines
• What to do if you think you have a refrigerant leak

Don’t wait until it is too late, call 678-215-6789 today

If your AC system has a persistent leak it’s best you budget and plan to replace it or have it repaired properly. Adding refrigerant to a known leak can result in EPA fines.