For all AC units to keep you cool during the heat of the summer, refrigerant is required to get the job done. This is found in a closed system within your unit. This means that it is recirculated throughout the unit and doesn’t need to be refilled or recharged unless there is a leak of some sort. When you have a refrigerant leak, it can leave homeowners wondering whether or not the leak can be fixed or if they will be facing an AC replacement. Hal Mechanical is here to talk about refrigerant leaks and what can be fixed and what cannot.
Is it Safe to Be in a House with a Refrigerant Leak?
Refrigerant is a dangerous gas that can cause health problems if inhaled. For this reason, you should remember to stay away from your HVAC system. It’s also important that you avoid inhaling any strange odors that may be emanating from it. If you have an AC unit that has a refrigerant leak, it is important that you call on an HVAC professional right away to come take a look. The technician should be able to go through a process as they assess whether or not the leak can be fixed. Following is what the process looks like:
– Locating Refrigerant Leak: The first thing that any professional will need to do is locate the leak. There are specific tools that can be used to locate the precise place that the refrigerant is leaking out of the unit. It usually happens at joints, coils or other connections.
– Assess Severity of Refrigerant Leak: Next, it is important to assess the severity of the leak. There are some leaks that can be fixed because they are so small. However, if the leak is large enough, there is probably nothing that can be done to repair it.
– Shut Down the HVAC System: Before any repairs can be made to the leaking unit, the power needs to be shut down and the location isolated so that more refrigerant isn’t lost. The damaged area will need to be cleaned properly before the repair can be completed.
– Replace Damaged AC Parts: There might be some parts that need to be replaced if they have sustained damage. This could include coil or tubing that is damaged beyond repair. When this happens, the refrigerant will be recovered, the part replaced, and then the refrigerant will be put back in.
– Recharge Refrigerant: There might be more refrigerant that needs to be added to the unit to ensure there is enough to keep the house cool during the summer. The unit might need to be recharged with more refrigerant.
When to Replace the AC Unit
When the refrigerant leak is too large, there might be no other option rather than replacement. The technicians will likely attempt to salvage any unit that is possible salvageable, but there are some circumstances in which a repair doesn’t make sense.
Central Air Conditioner Inspection, Tune Up, Repair, Replacement & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada
If you have an older AC unit that has sprung a refrigerant leak, you can turn to Hal Mechanical to help determine whether or not it can be repaired or whether replacing the unit is what makes more sense. Call us today!
