Unless you’re an HVAC professional, you may not fully understand how your AC works. It relies on some interesting scientific principles. However, it’s fair to say that your AC’s refrigerant is the key to its operation. Here’s everything you need to know about AC refrigerants. Also, we’ll discuss what it means when your AC needs a refrigerant recharge.
What Exactly Is a Refrigerant?
Technically, the term refrigerant refers to any working fluid used to transport heat energy. The most well-known AC refrigerant is Freon, which most ACs used up until around 2010. Regulators subsequently banned its use because it damaged the Earth’s ozone layer when released into the atmosphere.
Today, most ACs use R-410A, which was the successor to the original Freon. R-410A poses no danger to the ozone layer. Unfortunately, it’s far more potent as a greenhouse gas. As a result, it, too, faces a phase-out and a ban. Right now, many new ACs use either R-32 or R-454B. Both offer superior performance compared to R-410A and are much less hazardous to the environment.
The Role of Refrigerants in AC Operation
At its core, your AC is identical to the refrigerator in your kitchen. In your AC’s case, the inside of your home doubles as the interior of your refrigerator. Both devices rely on the refrigeration cycle to operate. That’s the process of manipulating the pressure, state, and temperature of a refrigerant to control when it absorbs or releases heat.
To understand how the refrigeration cycle works, however, you need to know the scientific principles it relies on. The first is a part of the second law of thermodynamics. It states that heat energy always spontaneously moves from hotter substances to colder ones. The second principle is the connection between the temperature and pressure of gases. In short, increasing a gas’s pressure increases its temperature. Reducing the pressure lowers its temperature. That’s where refrigerants come in.
When you turn on your AC, the first thing that happens is the activation of two large fans. One is a blower fan that circulates air through your home. The other is a large fan in your AC’s outdoor unit. Simultaneously, your AC’s compressor activates. The compressor serves two purposes. The first is to increase the pressure of the system’s refrigerant in its gaseous state. The other is to push refrigerant through your AC. As it starts doing so, your AC’s expansion valve reduces the pressure of the liquid refrigerant in your AC. That reduces its temperature.
The now-cold liquid refrigerant travels into the evaporator coil in your AC’s indoor unit. There, the blower pushes warm air from your home over the coil. As it does, the cold refrigerant absorbs heat energy from the air, cooling it down. When the refrigerant absorbs enough heat, it boils into a warm gas. That gas makes its way back outside to the compressor, which raises its pressure and temperature.
The now-hot gaseous refrigerant passes into your outdoor unit’s condenser coil. Since it’s now far hotter than the outside air, it readily surrenders heat energy into the air. To speed up the process, the large fan pushes air through the condenser coil. When the refrigerant sheds enough heat, it condenses back into a liquid, allowing the refrigeration cycle to begin again.
When Does Your AC Need a Refrigerant Recharge?
An important thing you should know about your AC’s refrigerant is that it travels through a closed system. In other words, your AC should never need a refrigerant recharge. If it does, there’s a leak that needs repair. An undiscovered leak can lead to significant AC damage. Therefore, it’s wise to learn the symptoms of an AC with a refrigerant leak.
A small refrigerant leak can significantly impact your AC’s cooling performance. So, if your energy bills start rising, schedule an AC inspection. Eventually, low refrigerant levels will lead to a frozen evaporator coil. That will block airflow through your AC and further reduce its cooling performance. If you ignore the signs of a leak long enough, your AC compressor will overheat and suffer catastrophic damage. That’s because AC refrigerant also carries lubricant that protects your compressor from wear and tear.
Your Local Refrigerant Experts
If you have reason to believe that the AC in your Pensacola, FL, home has a refrigerant leak, don’t ignore it. Instead, let one of our highly trained and experienced HVAC technicians examine your system. Catching a refrigerant leak early through routine AC maintenance checks can save you significant sums. It also increases the odds that a simple repair will return your system to working order. We can also meet your other AC repair needs. We offer competitive pricing and expert craftsmanship.
We repair ACs of all makes and models as well. If you suspect your AC has a refrigerant leak, contact Bluewater Heating & Air to schedule an AC repair appointment immediately.
