Sometimes air conditioning units need to be recharged. Knowing when to recharge will help your air conditioning unit to work efficiently using energy economically. Sometimes the first sign that an air conditioning unit needs recharging is when the air conditioning unit has difficulty in cooling the room temperature. This is usually linked directly to the refrigerant levels in the unit.
Adding refrigerant is usually one of the first things people think of when air conditioners are not working properly or stops cooling the air. This may not be the immediate solution to the problem. All air conditioning units are charged with the correct amount of refrigerant and the balance is set. In the course of an air conditioning unit being used, it is possible for a change in the charge and or refrigerant to occur. Refrigerant does not evaporate or burn off like other liquids, so it is only in the event of a leak that refrigerant needs replacing or recharging. Of course, the system must be examined in detail to identify any leaks that need to be repaired before any recharge or adding of refrigerant takes place.
Leaks
Once any leaks are repaired often, a recharging of the air conditioning system is often the solution to any inefficiency in the system. Knowing when to recharge an air conditioning unit is a job for a professional engineer once other diagnostic procedures have been carried out when your system is not functioning, as it should be.
Refrigerant and the Environment
The medium that cools in your air conditioning is called refrigerant. In most domestic air conditioners, the refrigerant is Freon (which is a chlorofluorocarbon or CFC). Freon is a controlled substance, which is a hazard when released into the atmosphere and is harmful to the Earths ozone layer if not properly handled. As air conditioning does not consume Freon, it will never need replacing except for a leak. Should your engineer ever recommend adding or replacing this substance then in accordance with environmental laws, the refrigerant will be extracted and filtered by a recycling refrigerant machine. Because of the hazardous nature of this process only qualified engineers should perform this process and do it yourself is never recommended.
A regular check of the coolant or Freon levels of your air conditioning system is important. A loss of 10% in coolant levels will add 20 percent to your electricity bill and cause wear and tear to your unit. We carry out this check in our regular annual service
Recharging
Recharging your system is necessary as a low charge decreases the efficiency of an air conditioning unit. A low charge will cause the unit to operate at higher ranges than it should. Units that have been running on low charge for long periods of time are likely to need replacing. Professional air conditioning engineers will only recharge air conditioning units when all remedial work is carried out and only if it will remedy the deficiencies of the system. Knowing when to recharge air conditioning is something your engineer will be an expert on, as it requires careful analysis and re-balancing of the system.
Your accredited engineer also knows the rules and regulations for handling the refrigerant and disposing of any discarded fluids. It is essential to have this process done in accordance with the law, as it is a hazardous process that damages the environment. If you were to tamper with the refrigerant on your air conditioning system, it is quite likely your home insurance would invalidate any claims that may be made in the future.
Knowing when to recharge air conditioning is as simple as checking your refrigerant levels and noticing any decline in performance of the system. If your electricity bills are up this is another clue. In any of these events, call your air conditioning professional who will determine if you need a recharge, repair, or refrigerant top up as soon as you suspect anything. Remember if you have an affordable annual maintenance plan, these issues will be dealt with for you.
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