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There are plenty of things your air conditioner requires to do its job. Refrigerant is one of the most important parts of your AC system that isn’t actually a “part.” Refrigerant is a chemical mixture that is circulated by the other parts of your AC system in order to accomplish a key goal: cooling the air.
While some of us may have a decent understanding of how air conditioners work, we’ve discovered that refrigerant and its role in your AC system are often some of the most misunderstood. We believe in educating our customers to help them be better equipped to know when to call us for help. To do that, we’ve provided some helpful facts that you should know about the refrigerant in your air conditioner.
3 Key Facts About Refrigerant That You Should Know
Refrigerant plays a vital role in your AC—the system would be a glorified fan without it! But what is it really and what does it do? Let’s discuss.
1. Refrigerant comes in different forms … and it is still changing.
As we’ve mentioned, refrigerant is a chemical substance and it has been undergoing changes from the beginning. Did you know that the first refrigerants ever used incorporated ammonia and sulfur dioxide? Yikes!
Thankfully, today’s refrigerants are safer but still not quite perfect. While they work well for the purpose of keeping our homes cool, recent iterations of refrigerants (R-22 for example) have been discovered to be harmful to the environment.
Ultimately, the refrigerants used in our homes, fridges, and cars will continue to undergo changes until one is found that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and isn’t harmful to the environment.
2. Refrigerant is used as a heat transfer medium, NOT a fuel.
It is important to understand that your refrigerant is not a fuel. It absorbs heat from the air passing over the evaporator coil and then releases it outside your home. This distinction is vital because the belief that refrigerant is a fuel can have dire consequences. Fuel is used up, so if you think your refrigerant falls into this category you would ignore the fact that it is running low. A loss of refrigerant, however, is a sign that you have a problem in your system.
3. Refrigerant recharges are normal but they are a sign of trouble
It isn’t uncommon to need a refrigerant recharge or refill. When your system is found to be lacking the proper amount of refrigerant, your technician will need to provide a recharge. The thing to remember is that the need for a recharge is a sign of a leak in your refrigerant line. That leak needs to be found and repaired promptly before more refrigerant escapes and causes additional problems for your AC system.
We’re Dedicated to Keeping You Comfortable
When it comes to handling the different parts of your air conditioner, you should always turn to a professional HVAC company in Warner Robins, GA for the necessary work. The team at Premier Heating & Air is happy to fill that role when you need expert AC services.
Experience the Premier Difference. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.