A refrigerant leak’s not only a dicey situation as far as the effectiveness of your heat pump’s concerned, but it can also be dangerous. The biggest reason why is because this odorless gas could cause refrigerant poisoning. Meanwhile, increased energy bills and damage may result as well.
What Is Refrigerant and Why Does a Heat Pump Need It?
A refrigerant is a chemical compound that alternates between being a fluid and a gas while transferring heat from your home’s interior to the outside (during summer) or from the outside to your house’s living and working areas (during winter).
What Causes Refrigerant Leaks in Heat Pumps?
There are several common causes of a dangerous refrigerant leak.
Normal Wear and Tear
Simply using your heat pump for a considerable amount of time can result in that normal wear and tear causing a refrigerant leak.
Corrosion and Pinhole Leaks
Florida’s humidity and sea air as well as pollutants in general can result in a corroded heat pump and hard-to-detect pinhole leaks.
Improper Installation or Poor Connections
An unprofessional installation could cause you to use a heat pump with poor connections and steadily leaking refrigerant.
Physical Damage
Sometimes, one of Florida’s heavy thunderstorms or even a hurricane may cause physical damage to a heat pump. So can lawn equipment, such as a lawnmower or leaf blower.
Manufacturing Defects
In some cases, a heat pump arrives at a home with manufacturing defects that result in refrigerant leaking from the get-go.
Signs Your Heat Pump Has a Refrigerant Leak
Although a refrigerant leak can be difficult to discern, there are a few circumstances that may indicate that this is happening. Watch out for these.
Hissing or Bubbling Noises
If you hear hissing, bubbling or other strange noises while your heat pump’s running, get it checked.
Ice on the Evaporator Coil or Refrigerant Lines
If there’s a refrigerant leak, your heat pump won’t be able to absorb heat as well, which can result in its temperature dropping significantly enough that ice builds up on it.
Higher Energy Bills
One of the clearest signs of a refrigerant leak that’s not directly related to your senses is higher energy bills – i.e. bills that are much more than they usually are during similar weather conditions.
Longer Run Times or Short Cycling
Before you see any higher energy bills, you may notice that your heat pump isn’t able to complete a regular-length cooling or heating cycle or is running for longer time periods than it used to in similar circumstances.
Uneven Heating or Cooling in Rooms
Experiencing uneven heating or cooling – i.e. some areas of your home being much warmer or cooler than others – when that didn’t used to be the case can also be a sign of a refrigerant leak.
Home Feeling Humid or Stuffy
One of the benefits of using a healthy heat pump is that it removes humidity from the air in your home. If you discover that your interior air is now humid or stuffy, refrigerant leaking may be why.
Why a Refrigerant Leak is Bad
So, why is a refrigerant leak bad?
Lower Efficiency and Higher Bills
A much less efficient heat pump is a significant potential result of a refrigerant leak while your bank account balance won’t appreciate the higher bills that follow that.
Risk of Compressor Failure
The compressor’s an essential element of the process that your heat pump goes through to heat and cool your home, and a refrigerant leak causing compressor failure will result in this process not happening.
Reduced Comfort and Poor Humidity Control
Simply being uncomfortable through hotter or colder interior temperatures and humidity levels than desired is a definite side effect of a refrigerant leak.
Environmental Impact
Refrigerants being leaked into the air can have a negative impact on the environment, particularly those with a high GWP (global warming potential).
Health Concerns
Being exposed to refrigerant may negatively affect your health in a number of ways. Possible symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing and eye and skin irritation.
How HVAC Professionals Fix Refrigerant Leaks
HVAC professionals can use several different methods to fix a refrigerant leak.
Leak Detection Methods
What’s done first is detecting if there is, in fact, a leak. This may be done through a dye test (any dye that then escapes the HVAC system indicates that a leak exists), electronic detectors (through the detection of any refrigerant molecules in the home’s air) and pressure tests (pressurization of the heat pump and a resulting pressure drop normally indicates that there’s a refrigerant leak).
Sealing or Replacing Damaged Lines and Coils
A professional technician may seal those holes or might replace your damaged lines completely. In some cases, coils will need to be replaced.
Recharging It With the Correct Refrigerant Type and Amount
Recharging the heat pump with the correct refrigerant type and amount will follow.
System Testing for Safety and Performance
Once everything’s been fixed, the technician will test the heat pump to make sure that not only are there no more refrigerant leaks but that it’s also running as it should in general.
Why You Shouldn’t Try DIY Repairs
Some repair projects can absolutely be handled in a DIY fashion. However, this isn’t one of those. One reason why is because it’s actually illegal to handle refrigerant in most cases. And even if legality isn’t a concern, this can become quite a dangerous DIY project and may very well result in further damage to the system as well.
Also note that an attempted DIY fix of this issue will usually void the warranty.
How To Prevent Refrigerant Leaks in Heat Pumps
There are several ways that you can be proactive and prevent refrigerant leaks in your heat pump.
Schedule Bi-Annual Professional Maintenance
Get your heat pump maintained twice a year. Most professionals recommend doing this before the cooling and heating seasons.
Keep Your Outdoor Unit Clear of Debris and Hazards
Make sure that the chances of any debris or hazards hitting your outdoor unit are minimized.
Ensure Proper Installation by Certified Technicians
When you get it installed, ensure that it’s being done by certified technicians.
Invest in Quality Parts and Components
Investing in quality parts and components is always a solid step towards a healthy, long-lasting heat pump.
Call a Professional Before It Gets Worse
If you realize that you have a refrigerant leak and need to get that addressed as soon as possible, reach out to One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating. We provide heat pump repairs and other HVAC services to homes and businesses throughout the Orlando, FL, metropolitan area.
As you reach out to us and make an appointment, remember that we’re always on time, or you don’t pay a dime.