How do I Know if my Heat Pump is Low on Refrigerant?
It is important to check on these conditions of your unit to see if your heat pump needs more refrigerant before it can cause other issues within the system.
Refrigerant Serves a Purpose
You can thank refrigerants for keeping your home cool, calm, and collected during the summer and warm in the winter. Refrigerant absorbs and tranfers heat from the outside and provides air conditioning with the help of compressors and evaporators. You can look for a few signs that point to low refrigerant levels.
Leaking in Need of Tweaking
Your heat pump system changes refrigerant from gas to liquid and liquid to gas. Therefore, the system shouldn’t lose refrigerant over time, as it simply changes state. However, if your heat pump is leaking, refrigerant can be lost (and lead to other issues, if not handled properly).
Icing: and Not the Tasty Kind
A poorly performing heat pump can mean your unit is low on refrigerant. It can cause moisture to freeze over the heat pump’s outdoor coil, preventing it from absorbing heat and keeping the heat pump stable. And as tempting as it may be to simply remove the ice or let it melt, that won’t solve the problem – this issue will reoccur.
Inefficient Performance
Like any home system, each part of your heat pump plays a key role in keeping things running smoothly. Low refrigerant is a problem in itself, but it will also cause other issues within the system. If you notice your energy bills rising, it could be due to low refrigerant.
To avoid a chain reaction of problems within your heat pump system, it’s smart to call an HVAC technician that can solve your system’s performance issues, so you can save time and value for yourself and your home!
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