When the hottest weather of the year is upon us, the last thing that you want to think about is your air conditioning system failing to pull its weight. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that there is just no such thing as a 100% reliable air conditioning system. At some point, you are likely going to run into operational problems of some kind with your home cooling system. When you do, it always behooves you to schedule professional air conditioning repairs in Cary, NC at the very first sign of trouble. This is certainly true if you suspect that you have a refrigerant leak in your system.

What Is Refrigerant, and Why It Is Important?

Your air conditioning system does not generate cooled air. Rather, it uses a heat transfer liquid in order to remove heat from the air in your home, and then to vent that air outdoors. This heat transfer fluid is called refrigerant. Refrigerant evaporates in the indoor part of your AC, called the evaporator coil, appropriately enough. In doing so, it is able to pull heat out of the air in your home. It continues on its path, eventually reaching the condenser outdoors. As the refrigerant is condensed, its heat is vented off. The cycle continues until your home is cooled sufficiently. Without refrigerant, the entire cooling process would be impossible.

How Do I Spot a Leak?

When you have a refrigerant leak, you aren’t likely to see a puddle forming to alert you to the issue. There are a number of warning signs to look out for, though, which can help you to spot a potential leak. A reduction in cooling capacity is an obvious one. You may also notice ice forming on the refrigerant lines or coils, as there is not enough refrigerant in the system to successfully absorb a sufficient amount of heat. You may even hear hissing, if the refrigerant is escaping from a small hole in the system.

Keep your AC functioning effectively and reliably by scheduling your AC repair services with the experts here at Ideal Services Heating & Cooling.