It’s a hot summer day and you’re just mowing the lawn around your outdoor air conditioning cabinet when you suddenly hear a strange noise coming from the system. Maybe it’s a “hissing” sound that resembles a snake crawling through the tall grass. Or perhaps it’s a “bubbling” noise that comes up every once in a while.
It makes sense if you’re alarmed. These are noises that don’t often come from a perfectly functioning air conditioner. Something is definitely wrong with it and it requires air conditioning repair in Dundee as soon as possible. But you don’t need to panic.
First of all, our technicians are available 24/7 to help you with your AC problems. That’s the best news. Then, read on to learn about what leaking refrigerant might mean for the lifespan and performance of your air conditioning system.
The Closed Loop
Air conditioners don’t use refrigerant up as they run. It’s not like how your car uses gasoline. The system is installed as a closed loop, which means there’s enough refrigerant inside of it to theoretically last its entire lifespan. If it starts running out of refrigerant, then it must have a leak or it was set up incorrectly.
So, if you get clued into your system running low on refrigerant, either from a professional maintaining it or due to lowering efficiency levels, then you’ll want to get this leak patched and the system recharged with the right amount of refrigerant.
Why Hissing and Bubbling?
When refrigerant is cycled through the air conditioner, it exists in two separate forms. Sometimes it’s a gas, other times it’s a liquid.
As a gas, refrigerant is denser than air and will push out of the refrigerant lines, causing it to make a “hissing” sound.
As a liquid, oxygen will actually leak into the refrigerant lines and cause a “bubbling” noise as air bubbles start to form.
Both of these sounds basically form two sides of the same issue, which is that your system is leaking refrigerant.
Can You Fix a Refrigerant Leak Yourself?
No! Unfortunately, trying to fix a refrigerant leak can not only be dangerous (since refrigerant can replace oxygen in small spaces and lead to health or safety concerns like suffocation), but you can also cause more damage by trying to patch the leak with improper training or imprecise tools.
Look to a professional to repair this problem.
Repair or Replace
Sometimes, a refrigerant leak is too extensive that simple repairs won’t do the job. We’ll usually give you an estimate as to how much it would be to fix and why it turned out this way. If this exceeds half the cost of a new replacement, or more, we’ll recommend getting the system replaced.
We know this might seem premature, but refrigerant leaks can sometimes be the cause of debilitating issues like a botched installation. These kinds of problems are difficult to fix, like if the refrigerant lines were set up improperly to begin with. In these kinds of situations, replacement is the more cost-effective option.
We are your heating and cooling specialists in Dundee and we can fix this issue. Schedule an appointment with 24Hr Home Comfort Services Inc. today!