Do you know how your air conditioner operates? This system isn’t just a high-powered fan, after all. An air conditioner is made to pull heat out of your home, which helps to “create” cool air. In order to do this, your system circulates a substance called refrigerant which is meant to help remove heat effectively so that the AC can push cooled air into the home.
The refrigerant in your AC is like the blood in your body—without it, the system doesn’t work! Here is what you need to know about refrigerant in order to help you determine if and when you need an air conditioner repair in Kelowna, BC.
Refrigerant is a heat transfer medium, NOT a fuel
Maybe you know refrigerant was used in your AC, but you thought it was “used up” over time. This is a common misconception. Refrigerant serves as a heat transfer medium. In plain terms, refrigerant evaporates into a gas so that it can absorb heat from the air that is blown over the evaporator coil. From there, the now-heated refrigerant circulates into the condenser unit where it is condensed to release the heat and return to a liquid state. This process is repeated throughout the cooling cycle until the home is properly cooled.
There is more than one kind of refrigerant
Refrigerant is a chemical that has undergone different variations over the years. The goal of these changes is to make refrigerant more effective, efficient, and eco-friendly. This means that older air conditioners may be outfitted with refrigerant that is no longer even in production, which makes refills expensive, if not impossible.
Refrigerant leaks are a big problem!
We established that refrigerant is a heat transfer medium rather than a fuel. This means that it doesn’t get used up. If you start to lose refrigerant from your system, it is not something to ignore! The cause of this problem is going to be a leak in your refrigerant line. Until this leak is patched it will continuously allow refrigerant to escape, which will worsen the performance of your air conditioner and eventually lead to a full system breakdown.
After a leak is repaired, you need to recharge (refill) your refrigerant supply
Let’s say you had a refrigerant line leak that has been repaired. You can’t stop there! After the hole is patched you now have to make sure that the amount of refrigerant that was lost is replaced. This is known as a refrigerant recharge … and it is also when it comes in handy to know about the type of refrigerant that is in your AC.
Handling the refrigerant supply in your air conditioner isn’t a simple process. This is why it is best to turn to a professional technician to get the job done. From identifying if you have a refrigerant leak, to repairing it and recharging it, to advising you about when you replace an AC with an old refrigerant type, you can count on our experts to help with everything you need.
Are you comfortable? Contact Comfort Tech Heating & Cooling today to schedule your AC service so that you can achieve the comfort you need.