Does Freon Go Bad? Well…
You may have heard that Freon is often the backbone of your air conditioner system. However, you might not know exactly what it does to cool your home. Does Freon go bad? Do you need to replace it after a while, or is it a part you don’t have to worry about as much?
Here at Energy Pro Heating and Cooling, we understand that the inner workings of your HVAC system can be a little tricky. To simplify the process, we answered all your Freon questions below. Keep reading to find out more about Freon, its lifespan, and how it helps your air conditioner system function effectively.
What is Freon?
Freon is a refrigerant brand that works to power your air conditioner system. Its gaseous state is heated by your AC unit’s compressor and then cooled through its coils to transform into a liquid state. After it’s cooled, it passes through evaporators to turn back into a gaseous form. The resulting gas is the cool air that flows out of your unit and makes your home more comfortable.
What Happens to Freon After Cooling?
In its final state, Freon absorbs heat to make your home cooler. At the end of the cooling process, Freon resumes its cycle, re-entering the compressor to carry on converting warm gas to usable cool air. A typical AC cycle should be about 15 to 20 minutes long. If your AC unit is short-cycling, it likely has thermostat or unit size issues.
How Long Does Freon Last?
At this point, you may be wondering, “does Freon go bad?” Freon changes form indefinitely, meaning it could theoretically cycle forever if your system doesn’t experience any leaks. However, over time, wear on an AC system leads to inconsistencies in its efficiency and damage like tube leaks, which slowly deplete your system’s refrigerant.
Signs Your Air Conditioner System Has a Refrigerant Leak
Now that you understand that leaks can happen, it’s important to go over the signs a leak is present in your air conditioner system. High monthly energy bills are the first indication you have an AC problem. More specifically, you may notice faulty cooling or humid air, visible frost or ice on the outside of your unit, and strange hissing sounds coming from your air conditioner system.
If you notice signs of a leak, it is important to call the professionals. While some leaks cause no harm to household members, they can cause oxygen issues like shortness of breath. An experienced HVAC technician can repair leaking tubing and top off your Freon levels, without exposing themselves to the refrigerant in an unsafe way.
How To Avoid Refrigerant Leaks
Avoiding refrigerant leaks is simple: check for them often. This includes seeking regular maintenance for your AC unit and scheduling seasonal tune-ups. Winter and Summer have more extreme weather, which makes your HVAC system work harder. Booking an appointment before these months hits, allows experts to inspect any faulty components and fix them first.
In addition to avoiding refrigerant leaks, regular maintenance reduces home fire hazards, improves air quality, increases the lifespan of your air conditioner system, and helps to lower monthly energy costs. When your system is running more efficiently, it will also cool and heat your home more efficiently.
What HVAC Maintenance Can You Do From Home?
HVAC work often deals with chemical refrigerants, which can be deadly if mishandled. For serious repairs like this, you should always call a professional. However, some smaller HVAC maintenance, like filter changes, can be done from home safely. Filters tend to fill up with contaminants every month or two. Changing filters regularly improves your home’s air quality.
Energy Pro Heating and Cooling Provides Local AC Repair in Portsmouth, VA
Energy Pro Heating and Cooling offer local AC repair, replacement, and upkeep services in Portsmouth, VA, and its surrounding areas. Our expert HVAC technicians exemplify professionalism, friendly customer service, and precise work. We will extend the same care to projects in your home that we would to our own.
Service Club Membership
To help you stay up to date on maintenance and repairs before they become expensive replacements, we offer a service club membership for $14.95 per month. Its exclusive benefits include priority service, a discounted service fee, 15 percent off on services and air quality products, and regularly scheduled tune-ups to increase your energy efficiency.
Financing Options
Sometimes HVAC repairs or replacements present an unexpected or emergency cost. We offer financing options to help work with your budget. We partnered with Synchrony Financial to provide our customers with reliable financing options for their HVAC investments.