If you recently turned on your air conditioner and it doesn’t seem to be pushing cool air into your home, you may be wondering if your Freon is running low or leaking. That is a common misconception. If your air conditioner isn’t working well it is probably not a Freon issue. And here is why.
First, let’s talk about the Freon in your air conditioner. Your air conditioner has a certain supply of Freon that should not deplete over time. Even though you are “using” Freon to cool the air going into your home, you aren’t actually going through a supply like you go through gas in your car. The Freon in your air conditioner is very much contained in the unit.
It is important to note that your air conditioner should not leak Freon. Ever. Even if you have a very old air conditioner it shouldn’t leak Freon. Typically we see leaks occur when the air conditioner wasn’t installed properly.
Air conditioners that are leaking Freon are causing multiple problems. Perhaps the biggest issue is that Freon escaping into the air is very bad for the environment. (There are actually some very steep fines that can be charged to the contractor/air conditioner tech if Freon is allowed to escape into the air. You see, when Freon does need to replaced, it has to be captured in a container and recycled properly. ) The other issue associated with Freon leaks is that it is very bad for the air conditioner itself because low levels of Freon cause problems. You never want to have Freon leaks! Even though Freon leaks can be fixed, it can be very costly.
We will tell you that the chances that your air conditioner is leaking Freon is highly unlikely. You are probably having another issue. The only way to tell is to have a professional perform a maintenance check on your A/C unit.
If you are concerned about potential Freon leaks in your air conditioner or would like to schedule a tuneup, please call Dan Schmied at 720-876-7166 or email him directly at [email protected].
