In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics and history of the use of air conditioning refrigerant. Refrigerant is the important substance that actually cools your home or building down when your AC is operating, so having some basic information on it can go a long way.
At Airtime Heating & Cooling, we're happy to help with all your air conditioner repairs, installations and related services, including anything to do with your refrigerant levels. Today's part two of our series will look into how to figure out which refrigerant your AC system is using, plus how to spot signs of refrigerant issues so they can be brought to our AC professionals to be remedied.
In part one of our series, we left off by going over the different kinds of AC refrigerant out there today. If you're looking to determine which type your home or building is utilizing, the first indicator at your disposal is when the system was built.
If the system was manufactured before 2010, there's a good chance it uses R-22, which is being phased out of production. R-22 systems are still operational, but their Freon will eventually become unavailable and more expensive as time goes on.
If your system was built after 2010, it likely uses R-410A, which has replaced R-22 as the industry standard. This is the refrigerant you'll want to have.
If you're unable to find the date when your system was made, you can simply check the side of the compressor unit -- where there will be a description sticker that spells out which refrigerant is being used.
If you're having any doubts about your system's refrigerant, or are in need of a tune-up to ensure everything is A-OK, there are some telltale signs that indicate an issue.
First and foremost, if your AC isn't cooling your home or building as efficiently as it used to, that could be a sign that your refrigerant is low and needs to be recharged.
Other sings of a problem include hissing noises coming from the AC unit, frost or ice buildup on the evaporator coils, and/or water pooling around the unit.
If you notice any of these signs, it's best to give our AC professionals a call so the issue can be diagnosed and remedied as soon as possible.
We hope you found this information on AC refrigerant helpful. Refrigerant is very important for the function of your unit, so it's good to be in the know about it. Stay tuned for more blog posts on all things AC related, and be sure to contact us at Airtime Heating & Cooling for any of your air conditioning needs!
