What is a Freon Leak?
Freon is a gas heavier than air, that becomes liquid when cooled. It’s used in the inner and outer body of your AC, to cool and to heat your house. If for some reason freon is going out of your unit, you are having a freon leak and you should fix it immediately.
Dangers of AC Freon Leaks
If your AC is shorter on freon, it will become inefficient. 10% less freon leads to up to 20% increase of AC power consumption, which will make your electricity bill bigger, too.
AC freon leaks are also dangerous for your health. Even though it may not have serious long-term effects, inhaling freon may cause dizziness and suffocation at very high concentrations. People with heart problems are most at risk.
AC freon leaks are harmful to the environment, too, as freon damages the Earth’s Ozone layer.
How to detect a Freon Leak?
If the AC does not work properly anymore and you can feel a foul-smelling odor coming from your AC unit during operation, you may have a freon leak. Call a technician immediately to fix it.
Most common reasons for AC Freon Leak
One of the most common problems causing freon leak is the erosion of the metal over time. This could be solved by replacing a single component, but if the damage is too large you may need to replace the whole unit. This is another reason why finding and fixing a freon leak earlier is much more preferable.
A damage of the AC body could also lead to such a problem, so be careful if you have to work with sharp objects close to your AC.
Your AC may have freon leaks from the start, especially If it’s not installed properly or if there are any factory defects.
To ensure your AC is working efficiently, call a technician at least once a year to check if there are any freon leaks or if it has any other problems. If your AC unit is older than 10 years you may consider replacing it. See how to choose from repair or replacement here.
