Aircon refrigerant fluid is the main thing making the aircon blow cold air into the room. Through this fluid, heat exchange occurs between the inflow and the outflow air. This causes the hot air to cool down and come outside as cold air to cool down the room. This role in the cooling of air is why the refrigerant is essential for the normal functioning of the unit. An aircon refrigerant leak can lead to the malfunction of the unit. And the normal cooling process can’t happen.
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Thus, to make the aircon function normally, you must pay close attention to refrigerant levels. If any leaks arise, you should fix them immediately and restore the liquid levels. Today, we are going to take a look at some of the causes behind aircon refrigerant leaks. Unfortunately, these leaks are difficult to identify until the aircon dies. Thus, unless you are careful with the aircon watch over, you are going to miss them. We are also going to discuss some of the ways to identify these causes and fix them.
Causes Of Aircon Refrigerant Leak
Some of the leading causes behind aircon refrigerant leaks are:
Erosion Of Metal
Metal makes up most of the composition of the aircon, and we commonly see erosions after prolonged use. These erosions can lead to holes in the metal, and the aircon refrigerant can leak through them. Cool air and humidity often cause significant damage in terms of erosion. The outdoor units are especially susceptible to this due to the harsh outside conditions. Thus, erosion of metal should come into your mind when you fear air conditioner refrigerant leaks.
Wear And Tear Of The Unit
Long-term use of the aircon can cause wear and tear of different parts, and the refrigerant can leak. Some rubber seals used to close valve attachments wear out and can cause leaks. The outdoor units especially wear out due to unfavorable conditions after long-term use.
Imperfect Installation
Imperfect installation by inexperienced technicians can lead to faulty closure of different valves. When these valves are loose, the refrigerant can leak out, leading to a malfunction of the aircon.
How To Fix Aircon Refrigerant Leaks
Now that you know some of the leading causes of aircon leaks, we will discuss how to fix them.
Locate The Leak
This is obvious. The first step in the aircon refrigerant leak repair is to identify the source of the leak. The leak may be in the refrigerant container or the tubes leading to and from the container. When you identify the leak, you can think about how to fix it.
DIY Solutions
Once you have identified the source of the leak, you can move on to fixing it. When the leak is small and does not require professional intervention, you can fix it yourself. You are going to need some previous knowledge of metal welding. But you should be able to fix the leak without any significant setbacks.
Professional Help
When the leaks are widespread, and the damage is extensive, you should get professional help in refrigerant leaks. Even when you are confused about the source of the leak, they can be helpful. Aircon professionals have the tools and experience to identify leaks in no time. Once these professionals have identified the source, they can go one of two ways to fix them.
Patching The Cracks
They can use special patches designed to cover the cracks and stop fluid leaks. They can also use metal welding to close these cracks.
Replacing The Coils
The technicians take this approach If the refrigerant coil is damaged greatly. This usually happens when there are a lot of cracks in the coil. In such cases, patching the coil is no help, and replacement is necessary. The technicians, thus, then replace the coil entirely with a new one. This method does cost a lot, as new coils can be expensive. But you can be sure that the matter will be resolved and all the leaks will be gone.
Conclusion
We have talked about some of the causes of aircon refrigerant leaks. We have also talked about the ways to fix them. Getting professional help in fixing such leaks is paramount. This is because such matters are complex, and regular users might not solve them. People can also damage the aircon further and aggravate the problem. Thus, we strongly recommend getting professionals for aircon refrigerant leak repairs to prevent mishaps. Hopefully, this article has answered your question, “How to fix a refrigerant leak in AC?”