Recharging your air conditioner means refilling your unit’s refrigerant, which is the main component that cools your house. With the help of your AC’s evaporator and condenser, the refrigerant constantly changes from one state to another to absorb the heat from your home and convert it into cool airflow.
A lot of people still refer to refrigerant as Freon, as it has been the main refrigerant that has been used in residential air conditioners for many years. However, studies have shown that Freon or R-22 is extremely bad for the environment; thus, it has been phased out by manufacturers worldwide.
As of 2020, manufacturers no longer make Freon or Freon-compatible AC units. Modern air conditioners instead use Puron or R410A, which is safer for the ozone layer but still provides the same level of cooling.
Although the production and importation of Freon are banned in the United States, Freon can still be found for sale online or under certain conditions. However, for those with older AC units, it is recommended to upgrade to a more modern unit to avoid using R-22 altogether.
Whether your unit requires R-22 or R410A, it is designed to hold refrigerant for its entire lifespan. If you need to recharge your AC, that means there’s been a leak in your system that’s contributing to the refrigerant loss.
Before you set out to refill your refrigerant, you need to do a leak repair first. Adding refrigerant to a leaking unit can cause even more damage. It is important to consult technicians to conduct check-ups and AC repairs to avoid further damaging your unit.
There are a few ways to diagnose if your AC needs a refrigerant refill. Although some symptoms don’t necessarily mean your AC is leaking refrigerant, it is important to still watch out for one or more signs so that you can attend to the problem as soon as possible. Here are some issues that can mean it’s time to recharge your unit:
Sometimes your AC not cooling your home can be fixed by simply cleaning the unit and its air filter. However, if you have done your routine cleaning but your AC is still not working, this may be a surefire sign to have your refrigerant refilled.
Another sign to look out for is if the weakening of your unit’s cooling system is gradual. Sometimes, an AC’s decreased cooling ability is caused by a broken thermostat. If that is the case, your unit may lose cooling very suddenly or have its output temperature fluctuate. In contrast, a slow and gradual decline in cooling ability signals refrigerant loss over time, which points to a leak.
If you’re unsure, schedule a check-up and AC maintenance session with certified technicians to pinpoint the real cause of your AC issues.
If in doubt, don’t do it yourself. Refrigerants are dangerous substances, and if you’re not careful, you can sustain injuries that would need serious medical attention. Refrigerant inhalation can lead to headaches, breathing difficulties, nausea, vomiting, and coughing. Longer exposure can even lead to more severe effects like brain damage and sudden death. Meanwhile, physical contact with refrigerants can severely irritate the eyes and skin.
In general, recharging air conditioners is a dangerous procedure not just for your health, but also for your unit, since doing the procedure incorrectly can add damage to your AC.
It is highly recommended to hire skilled and certified technicians to recharge your AC for you. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all professional technicians to be certified, so you can rest easy knowing your unit is in safe hands.
Technicians can also start with a broader diagnosis of your unit and can facilitate the leak repair before refilling the refrigerant.
However, if you are confident in your DIY and AC maintenance skills and you have access to the right equipment, you can try your hand at recharging your air conditioner. As long as you are correctly handling modern refrigerants, there is no law preventing you from doing this procedure at home.
Here are the steps you need to take before you refill your AC refrigerant:
Once you have everything ready, it’s time to start recharging your AC. Here is a step-by-step guide that you can follow:
After refilling the refrigerant, observe your air conditioning unit and see if it’s cooling effectively again. If everything has been done correctly, you can now sit back and enjoy the comfort of a cooled home.
When temperatures soar, nothing beats the comfort of an air-conditioned home. To make your AC unit last longer, you need to conduct regular cleaning and maintenance. The air filters need to be cleaned or replaced every 1-2 months, while the interior of your AC unit has to be cleaned at least once a year, which is best done before summer.
Air conditioners require high-quality and constant maintenance. While you can clean filters yourself, it can get hard to find time to do full AC maintenance on your own, especially if you run into more complex problems like leaks and mold.
Licensed air conditioning technicians can help you properly maintain your unit. They know how to dismantle, clean, and reassemble your unit’s parts correctly. Moreover, they can provide assessments and diagnose if your air conditioner has any other problems that need attending to.
With regular care, a good air conditioning unit should last up to 10-15 years.
Schedule your next maintenance session with the most trusted Heating and Air Conditioning service in Sandy, UT. Our skilled and highly qualified technicians can take care of your AC systems for you.
Don’t settle for anything less. We provide affordable, effective, and reliable services to ensure your utmost comfort at home.
We also provide a 24/7 Emergency Repair Service to attend to your most pressing AC issues. Should you need to replace your unit, we also offer AC Installation services.