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Apr

Refrigerant Freon Levels – Is It Full?

AC CheckupRefrigerant Freon Levels and pressure, is what helps your air conditioner do its job. It’s expensive, so certain contractors will try to find ways to say you need more than necessary.

Don’t get scammed on Freon!

I invite you to come and participate/watch while your air conditioner is being charged!

We weigh all refrigerant that is added to your unit instead of just guessing. If your A/C is low on Freon, chances are there’s a leak because an A/C unit does not naturally lose freon. If they merely fill your A/C up with Freon and don’t offer to perform a leak search, you may be getting scammed.

If there are oil spots around the access valves, the caps may have become loose, are missing a valve stem or were simply not replaced correctly. (We actually had a customer who had another company out that didn’t replace the cap correctly and they had lost 9#s of expensive R-22!)

Also, have the contractor stay awhile as you test your A/C to see if it’s working properly after the contractor says he is done. You should be able to feel the difference coming out of your supply vents right away.

Freon has become a sort of synonym for air conditioning refrigerant, just as many people say Kleenex rather than
“facial tissue” and Band-Aid rather than “adhesive bandage.”

The original form of Freon, called R-22 in the industry, has now been banned by the EPA and is being phased out because it produces harmful chlorofluorocarbons, which destroys earth’s ozone; most homeowners refer to any type of refrigerant as “Freon.”

Myth: A/C  Refrigerant Freon Levels have been “used up” and needs to be regularly replaced.

Regardless of whether you call it Freon, refrigerant, R-22 or R-410A, it is never “used up.” The refrigerant is simply re-circulated through your air conditioner and used over and over.

That means the only time you’ll need to replace the Freon in your air conditioner is if there is a leak somewhere in the refrigerant circuit.

So, how can I tell if I need more Refrigerant Freon Levels?

Since your air conditioner never uses up refrigerant, you’ll only need more if your system has sprung a leak.  Unfortunately, the only way to truly know if your A/C is low on refrigerant Freon level is to test it using specialized gauges.

Some symptoms include poor cooling and high humidity, longer than normal run times as well as as icing of the evaporator coil. A dirty or restrictive filter can mimic low refrigerant symptoms. Check and change your filter to make sure it isn’t that before you make an appointment.

Because most homeowners do not own and do not know how to use these gauges, you’re usually best off having a trusted air conditioning professional come check your A/C’s Refrigerant (Freon) Levels.

Tip: This test is usually part of an air conditioning tune-up. So if you think you might need more Freon or refrigerant in your A/C, schedule a tune-up. This service is usually only a little more than a service charge and will have the added benefit of giving you a complete picture of the health of your A/C system.

 

Are your electric bills unusually high? Have your refrigerant Freon levels checked today! Contact Leo of Prescott Air Conditioning Repair at 928-308-1254 or schedule a cooling assessment/service call.