Is there a “hissing” or “bubbling” sound coming from your air conditioner? Do you notice any liquid leaks that are not water or condensation? Not to sound the alarm or anything, but an air conditioner leaking refrigerant can be an awful problem for both the environment and your wallet. As with most AC problems, the earlier you notice the symptoms, the better! Depending on the type, refrigerant can be a complex combination of chemicals kept at a high pressure to transfer heat away from your home. It’s a promising idea to have some rough knowledge about what type of refrigerant you might be dealing with, and the consequences of a leak.
Not convinced? There’s plenty of information out there about refrigerants and what they mean for the environment and for homeowners. We can help you parse through the data to find what’s important for you, and what can help inform your decision next time you’re dealing with a leaky AC.
What Does Refrigerant Do, Exactly?
Good question! An air conditioner functions with refrigerant and a set of coils that evaporate and condense moisture from the air. The refrigerant is a highly pressurized gas that makes this process possible, cycling back and forth from the coils as they remove the heat and moisture from the air of your home. This requires that the refrigerant be a designed combination of chemicals to maximize the heat transfer.
Types of Refrigerant
There are really only two main types of refrigerant that you need to worry about:
R-22
Only seen in air conditioners manufactured over 10 years ago, R-22 was the standard AC refrigerant until the phase-out began. R-22, also known as Chlorodifluoromethane, is a greenhouse gas that can be 1,810 times as powerful as carbon dioxide when leaked into the atmosphere. It directly contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect behind global warming. Since R-22 is phasing out globally, the remaining quantity is sold from recycled stockpiles. This means that R-22 is only going to get more expensive from here on out.
R-410A
Do you have an air conditioner newer than 10 years old? Then it most likely runs on R-410A, which is a great thing! R-410A is more environmentally friendly than R-22, with only a tiny impact on global warming. Also, as the world produces more of it, it will become cheaper than the previously mentioned refrigerant.
The Big Deal
The bottom line is that refrigerant leaking from your air conditioner can be incredibly detrimental to the atmosphere and to your wallet. If your AC runs with R-22 refrigerant and you’re hearing the dreaded “hissing” or “bubbling” noises, you might be in for an extremely costly repair or replacement in your near future. Don’t hesitate until it’s too late. Upgrading your air conditioner to use a more cost-effective, environmentally friendly type of refrigerant could mean huge savings in the future. When it comes to refrigerant leaks, filter changes, or air conditioning repair in Leander, TX, we’re the ones to call.
Hearing “hissing” or “bubbling” noises? Contact us at Roznovak’s Services today!
