Signs that Your Heat Pump has Low Refrigerant

Heat pumps rely on refrigerants to operate the same air conditioners do. The refrigerant passes through a closed loop that subjects it to pressure and temperature changes, reverting it back and forth between a liquid and a gaseous state that alternately warms and cools the surrounding air. It uses less energy than more traditional HVAC systems, as well as combining heating and cooling into one single function. In Pittsboro NC, heat pump repair is often the purveyance of air conditioning repair services, since our relatively mild climate makes a good fit for heat pump technology. That often involves recharging low refrigerant levels, which can cause significant problems if left untreated. If you can spot the signs that your heat pump has low refrigerant, you can summon a service technician to correct the issue in a timely fashion.

Low refrigerant levels announce themselves in rather subtle ways. The most obvious is a slow build-up of frost on the evaporator coils – a sign of the cool air that isn’t being generated. Scraping the frost off won’t solve the problem since the refrigerant needs to be recharged, but the damage it causes can stretch far beyond reduced cooing levels, as the melting ice interferes with other components in the system.

As a result, the heat pump needs to work harder to do its job. The frost forms a barrier between the remaining refrigerant in the coils and the air, which means the unit must use much more energy to cool the air as it should. This results in increased wear and tear on the system, as well as raising your monthly energy bills despite not using the heat pump any more than normal. If you find your bills going up, it’s probably a sign that your refrigerant levels are low. At this point, you will need to call an HVAC contractor for AC repair services.

Once you’ve spotted signs that your heat pump has low refrigerant, contact Ideal Services Heating & Cooling to help. We handle Pittsboro NC heat pump repair issues of all varieties and will track down the leak in your system before recharging refrigerant levels to their former status. Pick up the phone today to schedule an appointment or learn more about the heating services we offer in Pittsboro, NC!