When you think of all of the critical components of your AC unit, you might include the blower, the vents, or even the electrical portion of the unit. But what makes all of those parts valuable is the refrigerant inside the lines of your AC. You might not even know what this is or how it is used to cool your home. But all of that is about to change because, without this critical piece of the puzzle, you will not be enjoying any cool air this summer.
What Is Refrigerant?
In a nutshell, the liquid refrigerant in your AC unit is what actually cools the air that the blower is dispersing into your home. The majority of the work that your AC unit is doing is pulling air from outside your home and running it past the coil of tubing that contains the refrigerant. The refrigerant is taking the hot outside air and converting it to the blissfully cool air that you are enjoying inside your home.
What this means is that every facet of your AC unit could be working correctly, but without the proper amount of refrigerant in the coil, you will not be getting any cool air. Without refrigerant, all you have is a giant, and very expensive, fan that pulls air from outside into your home.
I Want It Cooler, So I Need More Refrigerant!
The refrigerant in your AC unit is not like the fuel that you put in your car. The fuel makes your car go, and better fuel can make the car go faster. But refrigerant does not provide the energy to make your AC go. That is the job of electricity. The refrigerant is in a closed loop of tubing and should never be used up by the air cooling process. In short, you should never need to add or top-off the refrigerant for any reason other than a leak.
Call A Pro!
So if you have a handyman take a look at your AC when your house is not getting cool, and he says you need to add refrigerant, there is a more significant issue. In most cases, this person is not trained to evaluate or fix an AC unit and has no idea where your refrigerant has gone or why. He or she will add new refrigerant and charge you for the repair, but it will not be a long term fix. The new refrigerant will leak out just as the first fluid did. You should also know that this refrigerant is not a product that you want to have leaking into the soil around your home. It can be flammable and toxic.
However, when you call a professional AC technician, the outcome will be very different. He or she will tell you that there is a leak in your refrigerant coil that needs to be repaired. After the repair has been completed, new refrigerant can be added to restore your AC’s cooling capability.
If there is a leak in your AC refrigerant, it is possible that there are other issues as well. Calling the pros at Gordon AC & Plumbing is the best way to be sure that your entire AC is inspected and that it will function correctly after the refrigerant is added. Also, some cleaning and maintenance to the AC could very well improve the unit’s function, increase its cooling capability, and decrease your utility bills.
When you notice that your AC is no longer providing cool air, there can be many reasons for this problem. The only way to determine the cause is to call (318) 202-9144 and have your unit inspected by an Gordon AC & Plumbing professional. This will ensure that all of the issues are found and corrected and that you will have the Gordon AC & Plumbing warranty to back up that work. Don’t risk days of suffering in the heat to save a few dollars on your AC repair; only trust a professional.
