A/C Not Getting as Cool as It Used To? A Refrigerant Charge May Help

Is your air conditioning unit not cooling your home as well as you would like? One reason for this may be that the refrigerant charge is low.

The charge is the amount of refrigerant in your HVAC system. Air conditioning units require the right amount of refrigerant in order to function properly. Too much or too little refrigerant prevents the system from functioning at its best.

Even the best air conditioning systems slowly lose their refrigerant charge over time. Re-charging the refrigerant may be necessary if you have had your system for a few years. Sometimes, a significant leak may develop in your system. In that case, the HVAC technician will locate the leak, replace the faulty parts and re-charge your system with refrigerant.

Here are a few symptoms of low refrigerant charge that you can look for:

• Lower temperature air coming from the condenser fan of your unit.
• Icing on the coils.
• Oily residue on pipes may indicate a leak. The residue is remains of the refrigerant after it evaporates.
• Overall low system efficiency.

Re-charging the refrigerant in your system is a simple process that can be easily be accomplished by an HVAC technician. Don’t let the warm temperatures make you uncomfortable. It is worth it to have your system checked out. The solution to your problem may be a simple one.

An HVAC technician will check the level of refrigerant charge as part of a seasonal maintenance plan. Establishing a maintenance plan will ensure that your system will run effectively and efficiently season after season. An HVAC diagnostic test every spring is also a good idea.

Here a few more tips that can help you keep your air conditioning unit in top shape.

At Stack Heating & Cooling, we have been serving the Greater Cleveland area for over 30 years. We can help you keep your home HVAC system running efficiently and inexpensively. Give us a call if you have problems or need maintenance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about refrigerant charge and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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