Refrigerant isn’t something you want to mess with. Your AC is running into problems and you notice a leak. Unless you’re looking at the drainage point on your outdoor unit, you’re likely seeing refrigerant.
You have to avoid further damage to your unit, and decide whether or not it’s time to call for air conditioning repair in Orlando, FL once you understand the damage. Let’s help you find out what your next steps are after detecting a refrigerant leak.
First, Turn Off Your Unit
If you know for a fact that refrigerant is leaking, you need to turn off your unit immediately. Your AC pushes refrigerant through the system when it turns on to cool your home so if the unit is on, it will continue to push refrigerant through the area that’s leaking. Turn it off to prevent further damage or exposure to refrigerant.
Look for Damage and Leak Sources, Determine if it’s a DIY Fix or Not
If there’s a clear leak and you have the know-how to fix it, that’s great. Do what you can to fix it and plug up the leak as soon as possible, provided that you have the right tools and protective equipment to do it.
However, it’s often much more difficult to determine where the leak is coming from. A technician with experience and the right tools will know how to quickly diagnose the source of your refrigerant leak, fix it, and top off your refrigerant once the job is done.
What Causes Refrigerant Leaks in the First Place
It’s important to know what causes refrigerant leaks so you can look for potential hazards that could turn your one-time leak into a recurring issue. This is what you need to know.
- Metal erosion. This is often visible from the outside, but if it occurs in the cabinet of your air conditioner, it’s a little harder to spot without opening up your AC. Metal erosion is one of the most common causes of refrigerant leaks.
- General wear and tear. Time takes its toll on your AC in numerous ways. A leak can happen from the constant expansion and retraction of various components in your AC. Wear and tear isn’t the fault of poor maintenance or bad parts; it just happens.
- Factory defects. It’s not impossible for a newer AC unit to encounter some unexpected problems. We often think that “new” and “mint condition” mean the same thing, but they don’t. Your AC parts could have been defective.
- Poor maintenance: Your AC maintenance technician should be inspecting everything. If your current technicians can’t detect problems before they lead to breakdowns, well, you know where to find us.
Refrigerant Leaks Almost Always Require a Technician
More often than not, you’ll need to contact a technician to repair your refrigerant leak. If you aren’t sure whether or not you’ll be able to plug the leak on your own, there are specialists who can help. It’s time that you get back to a comfortable temperature in your home.
Contact us today to detect the source of your refrigerant leak and stop it at the source.