How to Tell if Your Heat Pump Has a Refrigerant Leak

Low or leaking refrigerant isn’t an HVAC problem to put off for another day. Just like a refrigerator, your heat pump needs refrigerant to operate properly; otherwise, the stress caused by neglecting this problem can impact the compressor, and you’ll end up paying more on your electrical costs.

How Refrigerant Works

The refrigerant in a heat pump or HVAC system acts as the heat transfer fluid, and it changes with ease from its gaseous state to a liquid and back again. If you’re using your heat pump during fall and winter, it evaporates refrigerant into the outdoor coil so it will pull in heat from the air outside. Then, that refrigerant is compressed before it’s condensed into the indoor coil. This allows it to transfer heat into the living space.

How to Tell if You Have a Leak

• Inefficient performance – Low refrigerant will place extra stress on various components of your heat pump. This will be especially true with the compressor. So, if you notice a significant increase in your monthly utility bill, a low refrigerant level may be the culprit. Have it checked by your trusted heating service technician as soon as possible.
• Icing – When your heat pump is leaking refrigerant, the performance of its evaporator coil becomes greatly affected. Since heat absorption is the refrigerant’s purpose, leaking refrigerant prevents the coil from absorbing heat. When this happens, it causes the moisture on the evaporator coil to ice over. Scraping the ice off your heat pump’s coil won’t really do much to solve the problem. You’ll need to call an HVAC technician who can take care of the leak as well as add the necessary refrigerant so your system operates efficiently once again.

If you’re looking for the best air conditioning installation company in the area, don’t hesitate to call our team at EZ Air Conditioning and Heating. You can reach us at (210) 558-7883 to get started, or you can also fill out our convenient online contact form to get in touch with us. Talk to us today!