Air Conditioning Repair in Pittsburgh: Why is My Refrigerant Low?

As we enter the cooling season, you need to make sure that your air conditioning system is ready for the heat and humidity of the summer. Even if you haven’t yet turned it on, then do so now. Take a listen, and see if your home reaches your desired temperature. One of the common root causes of inadequate cooling is low refrigerant, which needs to be of a certain “charge” at all times in order for the AC to function effectively and efficiently. In this post, we’d like to look at the reasons why your refrigerant may be low. For superior air conditioning repair in Pittsburgh, call Boehmer Heating & Cooling today!

The refrigerant in your AC is chemically designed to undergo intense changes in temperature and pressure to facilitate the removal of heat from your home and to send cool air throughout your ducts. The compressor takes the low pressure gas from the evaporator coil and turns it into a high pressure, high temperature gas; so hot, in fact, that when this refrigerant circulates through the condenser coils, its heat dissipates into the outside air, no matter what the temperature is. The evaporator coil takes the now cool liquid refrigerant and cools the air, while the air handler sends the conditioned air back through the ductwork. If your system has too little refrigerant, then these processes will simply not be as effective, and may not work at all.

There are basically two reasons why your refrigerant is low:

• Undercharged at installation: One of the reasons why professional installation is so important is that it very much matters what the “charge” of your refrigerant is during installation. Only a certified technician will know exactly how much refrigerant to put into your system.
• Refrigerant leak: This is the most prevalent reason for low refrigerant. Some leaks are microscopic punctures that are hardly noticeable. Your tech has various equipment and techniques for refrigerant leak detection. Only a certified technician should ever handle refrigerant, so it is always best to call a professional if you think you have a leak.

If you’re concerned about the levels of refrigerant in your AC, call Boehmer Heating & Cooling for air conditioning repair in Pittsburgh today!