If you find yourself turning on the electric fan despite the air conditioner running, it could mean that it’s not working properly. I could mean it needs more refrigerant or if it’s a new unit, it’s either too small or too large for space.
If your air conditioning unit has been with you for a while, if it’s starting to act up due to low refrigeration levels, then it deserves a maintenance check from reliable air conditioning contractors in Miami, FL.
Here are the signs to look out for that means your air conditioner needs a maintenance check as well as a refrigerant recharge.
- The temperature won’t cool down
Your indoor space should feel cooler than the outside unless the air conditioner is not working properly. If you keep lowering the thermostat and you do not see any significant change in the indoor temperature, you may need to recharge your refrigerant. The refrigerant removes the heat from your interiors and sends it outside. Without enough refrigerants, the system won’t be performing well.
You have to consider the outdoor temperatures. Older units may not be able to keep up with extreme summer heat. On a regular day, if you remember experiencing a cooler performance in the previous years, then it’s time to have your unit checked.
- There’s a gurgling or hissing noise from your unit
These strange noises indicate different types of problems with your unit. In combination, it causes an uncomfortable environment in your home as well as it means there’s a leak in the system. The refrigerant systems are supposed to be completely sealed so none of it could escape.
Not all the leaks can make these noises. If it’s not a major leak, it may not even make any noise at all. But if you do hear these noises coming from the refrigerant line, it’s time to call the Miami, FL AC service companies and turn off your aircon unit.
- Ice appears on the Refrigerant line
It may seem like a good sign when ice is forming on the refrigerant line. Wrong! Even if something is getting cold, it’s not the right thing or the right way. When the refrigerant is low, the evaporator coil gets colder. This is caused by the indoor heat being absorbed by the refrigerant and the progressively colder refrigerant that is remaining is the one that is left circulating.
Once you see ice forming on the refrigerant line, quickly turn off the unit. The ice isn’t extremely damaging but its side effect is. The colder refrigerant will reach the compressor which will not be able to handle it. It will lead to several broken and damaged parts. Once the compressor is damaged, it’s gone.
Lowered refrigeration levels means there’s a leak. Air conditioning units are built with parts that are totally sealed so the only way for the refrigerant to escape is when there is a leak. A Freon leak isn’t as common as it was but it still does happen. It is not safe to inhale or touch your skin. It is sometimes in the form of gas or liquid. Adding more refrigerant to a system that leaks means there’s more to escape and there’s more danger.
