Air Conditioning Repair FAQ: Does It Just Need More Refrigerant?

You may know already that there is a chemical blend called refrigerant that pumps through your air conditioner (also sometimes referred to as Freon). And you also may have heard that “topping off” the refrigerant can help an air conditioner to perform better. But for the most part, filling up a system with more refrigerant won’t address the actual problem. We offer more information on this issue below.

Your AC Is Designed to Contain Refrigerant

When your air conditioner was first installed, your technician should have carefully measured the amount of refrigerant going into the system using industry tools. There are several reasons it is important to get an exact measurement.

Low refrigerant levels reduce cooling power.
A lack of refrigerant may cause parts to become overworked and could lead to repair issues like a frozen coil.
Your compressor is designed to process a certain amount of refrigerant, and could suffer damage if there is not enough.

That’s why your air conditioner is designed to contain the refrigerant—without any of it leaking out. Although heat should release from the refrigerant and into the outside air, the refrigerant should never dissipate along with it. If a technician detects that there is a lack of refrigerant it is either because:

the refrigerant was not measured properly in the first place, or
there is a leak somewhere along the refrigerant line or at the compressor.

What to Do About Low Refrigerant

Be sure to meet with an experienced technician who will give a thorough, honest assessment of your unit. The right technicians will not just add in refrigerant to get the job done quickly. They will inspect the entire line and use equipment that can help them locate the exact source of a leak. An EPA certification may be required in order to properly handle the AC repair, and a trained technician will be better able to pin down the problem and recharge refrigerant to the correct levels. Get in touch with Air Mechanical, Inc. for air conditioning repair services in the Andover, MN area.