Your air conditioner relies on a small amount of chemical refrigerant to cool the air that it takes in. Normally, the refrigerant is trapped inside the AC unit’s coils, but sometimes a leak can form due to a crack or a damaged seal. Refrigerant is poisonous, so repairing your air conditioner’s coils is a job for a professional HVAC contractor. The guide below looks at signs that your unit is experiencing this problem.

What Indicates a Refrigerant Leak?

1. A Hissing Noise

While some leaks are too gradual to cause a hiss, some will be audible. Listen to the refrigerant lines running through your unit. Hissing or bubbling can not only tell you that refrigerant is escaping but help you locate where the leak is. This will make it easier to get it fixed.

2. A Frozen Refrigerator Coil

The refrigerant in your air conditioner absorbs heat. When there’s too little refrigerant due to a leak, the refrigerator coil gets much colder than normal. Condensation that would usually drip off and flow down the AC unit’s drain line instead freezes in place on the coil. This can create large blocks of ice in and on your unit even during mild weather.

3. The AC Unit Working Harder

In spite of the coil getting colder, you might notice that the air from the vents isn’t as cool. Alternatively, the air conditioner might run constantly without keeping the house at the temperature you want. You can sometimes hear the air conditioner get louder or change in pitch because it’s working harder, and your energy bill will rise because of the extra electricity used.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs from your AC unit, call Donovan & Jorgenson. Serving the Greater Milwaukee area from their locations in West Allis, Mukwonago, and New Berlin, WI, they have 35 years of experience in residential and commercial service. Their excellent customer service has earned them an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau®, and they’re available 24/7 for emergencies. For a free estimate, visit their website today.