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What’s Freon?

Freon is odorless gases and liquids used as refrigerants in products such as air conditioning units. By repeating the evaporation process within a unit, Freon facilitates the production of cool air that is circulated throughout a customer’s air conditioner. 

Why Does Freon Leak in Air Conditioners?

Freon leaks in an air conditioning unit will affect the unit’s overall ability to produce cool air and can even mean your AC stops working completely. Freon leaks can result from improper installation, damaged and leaking pipes, factory faults, and faulty electrical connections.

To help our clients throughout Sycamore, DeKalb, Genoa, and our surrounding areas quickly and easily identify a freon leak in their AC unit, we have identified the five main signs every owner should know.

Signs Your AC is Low on Freon

Lack Of Cooling Capacity 

One of the first signs of a freon leak is the loss of coolness in your home or office. This sign might be followed by other signals that there is freon loss, such as the unit becoming hot to the touch as it tries to compensate for the lack of cooling by the freon leak. Placing your hand in front of the air conditioner unit is an easy way to test this, as the air produced will be weaker and less cool than usual.

High Utility Bills

Freon leaks in your unit will not only leave the AC not cold enough. The air conditioner unit will try to fix this issue on its own, compensating for this lack of coolness by working overtime. This process will increase the amount of electricity the unit will require leading to higher than normal bills as the kilowatt usage increases.

Ice Build-Up On AC Unit 

One of the most noticeable signs of a freon leak is an ice build-up on the AC line. Freon leaks can lead to the creation of ice on evaporator coils or copper coils. Low freon levels reduce the pressure in the system, which can then encourage the ice production that you can see on the unit.

Strange Noises From AC Unit 

 Freon loss can often produce strange noise from AC units. The most common sound that the leaks might cause is a continuous hissing. However, in some cases, the loss of freon can produce a shrieking noise that is relatively high-pitched and near impossible to ignore. These sounds result from the high-pressure Freon escaping through imperfections and holes in the refrigerant line.

Warm Air Leaving Vents 

While in the sweltering heat of Sycamore, Illinois, every owner expects their air conditioner unit to produce cold air. So when hot air leaves your air conditioner, this is a significant indicator that something might be affecting the freon levels. As the leak increases and the freon levels drop lower, the heat produced by the air conditioning unit might increase until it is impossible to ignore.

Freon leaks may be frustrating during hot summers, but the problem can be easily rectified. Once identified, a technician can quickly get your air conditioning unit back in tip-top shape, keeping you as cool as possible.

Need AC Maintenance? 

A.H. Brenner Heating & Cooling is an expert at air conditioning repair and can quickly identify if your AC unit has a leak or not.  Freon leaks need to be taken seriously as they can be dangerous to your health as it is a toxic substances. 

When you encounter an issue with your AC unit and you want a local Sycamore, IL AC professional that provides reliable, fast, and helpful solutions. We can provide you with the service that you need and can trust.  Call us today, at 815-970-5127.