Why freon leaks

And they can also lead to negative effects on your health. Because freon is a toxic substance, it should only be handled by experienced air conditioning repair technicians. Inhaling freon can have lethal consequences and can be hazardous to the environment if it escapes. This is why R refrigerant freon is being phased out and replaced with the more environmentally friendly RA refrigerant.

A freon leak inside your home is toxic for you and your family and should be taken care of as soon as possible. The solution to a freon leak is NOT adding more freon to your air conditioner or topping it off. Refrigerant is not like gasoline or oil and it never runs dry.

A foul smell coming from your AC system is a telltale sign of a freon leak. Helium has the lowest molecular weight but can be very expensive to obtain just to vent out on every installation. Major damage to any component of the air conditioner system. Tell your lawn guys to put on white gloves around your air conditioner! Often, a lawnmower banging into the air conditioner, or a weed whacker hitting the copper tubing, can cause a refrigerant leak to develop.

Poor manufacturing. More and more manufactures are looking to get their products sold in a down economy. Many are cutting corners and shipping units that develop refrigerant leaks within the first years of service! Our AC replacement technicians often find that systems develop leaks within the first years of service life here in the Treasure Valley. Additionally, high-efficiency air conditioning systems are much larger than the older units and are being made with thinner copper tubing to help reduce the size.

But… What about a lesser known cause? This common chemical present in many homes will interact with the copper in such a way that will begin to deteriorate and corrode on a microscopic level.

Formicary corrosion happens over a period of time and is often unnoticeable until something like a 6-year old air conditioner needs to be recharged. Newer homes are often notorious for developing refrigerant leaks quicker than older and more established homes because of the presence of more chemicals in the building products.

An infamous case of severe formaldehyde in the living space was the FEMA trailer provided to Katrina victims. While less severe than a FEMA trailer, most homes have a measurable amount of formaldehyde in the indoor air, and this will always cause formicary corrosion and refrigerant leaks.

Trane All-Aluminum Coil Copper Coil This corrosion will advance at quicker stages when there is more moisture present on the evaporator coils. How can freon leaks be resolved? Trane all aluminum evap. Rusty Evaporator Coil Leaking Freon What to do if your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant Our air conditioning service technicians will locate the location of the leak, upon your approval, and will then provide options to repair it.

How can you tell you have a refrigerant leak? Previous Post. There is no evidence that Freon is carcinogenic; it won't cause cancer. However, it does accumulate in the body with time. Although the risks are low, leaks still pose a real threat if left unattended for long. Freon can be toxic when exposed to a burning surface; it becomes harmful when touching bare skin. Freon leak in a refrigerator can be fixed, but it is costly.

People facing this problem are advised to buy a new refrigerator—the amount spent on repairing a freezer can buy a new one.

Refrigerators having Freon leakage are very old; one should change them to avoid any significant loss. Freon is a mixture of chemical gases, which is unscented and tasteless. It doesn't kill a person immediately but can cause the cut off of oxygen to the body's vital parts.

Freon poisoning happens when a person stays in contact with Freon for a very long time. Consuming or staying in touch with Freon almost every day causes illness. Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. Guest Author May 14, What is Freon?

Increase in Electricity Bills Facilities may get Higher electricity bills in summer and winter because they use electrical appliances to cool or heat the houses. Spoiled Food It is obvious to get a can of soda or an item of food that is super cold from the refrigerator. Chemical Odor from the Food and Refrigerator People tend to check the food first when an unpleasant smell comes from the refrigerator. Refrigerator Motor Will Not Stop Refrigerators use their compressor and condenser to keep the temperature reasonable when the weather grows higher.

Oil Residue on the Floor You can tell it is a Freon leak if the refrigerator's floor is greasy. Instead, indirect signs of a refrigerant leak are more likely to alert you to a potentially serious problem with your AC unit. Here are five common signs to keep an eye out for. Some HVAC service technicians may suggest simply refilling the refrigerant in the unit, but that is only a temporary band-aid fix. If you opt to recharge freon in a leaky unit, it will probably end up costing you more money in the long run.

This may tempt homeowners to simply recharge the system every few months just to get through the hot season about months out of the year in San Antonio! A trustworthy Service First technician will use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to find any holes or cracks using leak detection equipment.

It will also identify whether the refrigerant is leaking indoors, which could be a health concern. Your technician will recommend your options and help come up with a plan to get your system back in top shape. Our HVAC professionals will inspect all refrigerant lines for any leaks and can help walk you through your options.

If your HVAC unit is exhibiting any signs of a coolant leak, we highly recommend that you schedule a diagnostic exam.