Aircon gas leaking is a significant issue because it can cause irreversible damage to the unit’s compressor. The fault compressor means the air that will circulate in your room will also not be healthy because the gas leaking will force you to do earlier re-gassing.
For Best Aircon Services
The impact of gas leaking indicates that you should diagnose this aircon problem early to minimize the damage. The refrigerant (gas) is the essential component of an aircon’s cooling cycle. But once the unit starts leaking the refrigerant, it becomes a health hazard for the people inside the room. This article illustrates the details of the detection of gas leaking.
Vitality of Refrigerant
Refrigerant or coolant is the gas that evaporates and then recycles into a liquid state to complete the cooling process. The amount of refrigerant remains intact after a normal aircon cooling cycle. Therefore, typically the refrigerant is filled after almost ten years.
However, there are some circumstances where we need to refill the gas earlier than expected. This situation happens when your unit leaks the refrigerant. In this way, the proportion of refrigerant decreases in the unit, and it starts affecting the overall aircon health.
How to Detect Aircon Gas Leaking?
It is essential to notice the gas leak early, or else your unit will have to bear the consequences. Gas leakage will also harm human health. On that account, gas leaks are essential to detect through the signs. This section will explain the details of the detection signs of an aircon gas leaking.
Wear and Tear of the Aircon Unit
The aircon components need timely service and maintenance to remain in good condition. If you ignore the maintenance, the aircon components will age earlier and cause-specific issues. The wear and tear of the unit components may cause the refrigerant to leak. Therefore, maintain service valves and assembly joints if your unit is in such a condition.
It is pretty challenging to observe gas leaks in the initial stage. They usually get noticed when they cause problems with other aircon components. However, if you have a good eye on each aspect of your aircon’s working, you can track the problem quickly.
Coolant Leaking Through Refrigerant Lines
Refrigerant lines are copper tubes that transport the refrigerant to and from the condenser and the evaporator. If these tubes get damaged, the refrigerant will most likely leak. The homeowners must know the location of these tubes to check on them.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
Ice deposition on the evaporator coils indicates that the refrigerant is leaking. The moisture around the coils gets frozen and deposits on the coils. You need to turn off your unit and let the ice thaw. After the ice melts, notice if there are hissing sounds and sweet smells around your unit. These are possible causes of a leaking refrigerant.
Then make sure your aircon is clean and does not have too much dust. If your aircon coils or filters are too dirty, they can also cause ice deposition on the coils. Conclusively, you should first check if the unit is clean or not. If the unit is not clean, service the whole parts to inspect the issue of gas leaking.
High Electricity Bill
The aircon consumes more power than most home appliances. The usage of aircon impacts the electricity bill more significantly. However, if you start using aircon regularly, you can estimate the units consumed during the month.
If your electricity bills increase suddenly and you do not find any additional load on your connection, your unit has an issue. Refrigerant leaking is among the few reasons for the increased electricity bill because your aircon has to work extra hard to maintain the temperature without refrigerant.
Insufficient Cooling
If your aircon is short of refrigerant, it will not blow cool air into the room. It would help if you tried turning off and on the unit and checking whether it blows warm air or not. The refrigerant level is not up to the mark if the unit blows warm air.
Insufficient cooling is a common issue for several reasons, and refrigerant leaking is one of them. You may check the unit’s cleaning because most other causes are related to the cleaning of the unit. Therefore, it is essential to call a professional to assess the reason behind the insufficient cooling.
Conclusion
Aircon gas leaking is a severe concern for the aircon’s lifespan. If the refrigerant leaks, it will also affect all other aircon components, especially the compressor, condenser, and evaporator coils. You can assess the leaking of refrigerant by some of the indications the unit gives you. Ice deposition on evaporator coils, hissing sounds, and a sweet smell can help us detect the gas leaking issue in the early stages.