Refrigerant- What Is IT?
Quoting from Wikipedia… “A refrigerant is a substance or mixture, usually a fluid, used in a heat pump and refrigeration cycle. In most cycles it undergoes phase transitions from a liquid to a gas and back again. Many working fluids have been used for such purposes. Fluorocarbons, especially chlorofluorocarbons, became commonplace in the 20th century, but they are being phased out because of their ozone depletion effects. Other common refrigerants used in various applications are ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and non-halogenated hydrocarbons such as propane“.[1]
Refrigerant in the AC system not only cools your air, but continues down to the compressor to help keep it cool as well. One problem that we see during our AC repairs & check ups is some systems actually have too much refrigerant in the system. A common problem it causes is it can over cool the compressor and cause the lubricating oil needed by the compressor to migrate out to the system components. This situation can damage the compressor due to a lack of lubrication.
You will most likely notice this condition by the loud start up noise of compressor. If you’re outside and constantly notice a loud noise when you AC first turns on, you may have too much refrigerant in the system and to keep from damaging your system, it’s best to call for a check up. Of course, there is a chance your system isn’t overcharged with refrigerant… it just may be your system signalling that some other problem is causing the noise.
On the flip side, your system may have too little refrigerant and this condition can cause the compressor to overheat. Often the homeowner is unaware that their system is undercharged. Why? Mainly, because the air which gets cooled first before the compressor gets cooled, may still feel cool.
If your system is not serviced due to low refrigerant, it often gets worse. Too little refrigerant can be an indication that there may be a leak in the system causing the refrigerant to deplete overtime. This can be expensive.
A system check up is best way to prevent these types of problems before they damage your system. Call John at AirVantage and schedule a check-up. It’s not expensive and may keep you from replacing parts of your system at a later date.