Air Conditioning Problems Related to Low Refrigerant Levels

Summers in Goshen, IN are hot and humid. During the middle of a heatwave, the last thing you’ll want to deal with is an air conditioning problem. Low refrigerant levels are a common air conditioner issue. If too much of the chemical refrigerant leaks out of the system, you may notice one or more of these air conditioning problems.

Low Airflow

Low refrigerant levels reduce the air conditioner’s ability to pump cooled air through your home, explains the Department of Energy. The system’s pressure gets too low, and ice may form on the evaporator coils. When you put your hand in front of the vents in your home, you might only feel a trickle of air. The reduced airflow will cause the air conditioner to keep running, which could eventually overheat its motor. If the motor overheats, the high limit switch will engage, and the unit will power down.

Insufficient Cooling

When there’s not enough refrigerant in your air conditioner, it won’t have the capacity to transfer as much heat out of your home. You might feel room temperature or warmer air blowing through the vents. The reduced cooling capacity caused by low refrigerant levels will result in frequent cycling of your air conditioner. This will quickly lead to high electricity bills.

Excessive Humidity

Low refrigerant levels also impair your air conditioning system’s ability to remove humidity from your home. When warm air passes over the cold evaporator coil, moisture condenses out of your home’s air. If the evaporator coil doesn’t get cold enough, freezes, or doesn’t stay cold for a long enough duration, only a little humidity will be removed. When your home’s humidity level gets too high, you may notice worse allergy symptoms, clammy skin, and stuffy air.

For more details about the types of air conditioning problems caused by low refrigerant levels, take a look at Rex’s Heating and Cooling’s air conditioning repair services, or contact us today.