June 2021 - Delaware Heating and Air

Your HVAC system is one of the most important components in your home. It’s what keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but you may not give it a great deal of thought until something goes wrong. One of the things that could go wrong with your HVAC system is a refrigerant leak. Some people don’t even know that their HVAC unit uses refrigerant. Nonetheless, it is a critical part of the system. What Is Refrigerant? This chemical compound exists within your HVAC system in either a gaseous or fluid state. It is responsible for absorbing heat from the environment and also provides air conditioning with the support of components such as evaporators and compressors. Refrigerant is contained in the copper coils of air conditioners. As heat is absorbed from indoor air, the refrigerant transitions from a gas to a liquid. Components within the air conditioner move the refrigerant outdoors where it encounters a fan that blows hot air over the coils. After cooling, the refrigerant returns to its gaseous state. A fan that is placed inside the home is responsible for blowing air over cold coils to push cold air through the home. In new air conditioning units, the most commonly used refrigerants are R410A and R134. These refrigerants were developed relatively recently to replace earlier refrigerants, which were much more harmful to the environment. Moreover, air conditioning units that run on these newer refrigerants offer better energy-efficiency and reliability. Refrigerant Leaks If you have an older HVAC system that likely uses one of the less eco-friendly refrigerants, then a leak can be especially hazardous. However, even HVAC systems that use R410A or R134 refrigerants may develop leaks over time. When refrigerant is leaking from your air conditioner, it simply can’t operate as efficiently as it’s supposed to. Your system may work harder and harder to cool your home but not be able to get the inside temperature anywhere near where you would like it to be. Because your air conditioner is working overtime, you’re paying much more in energy bills. You’ll definitely notice the difference when you pay your bills each month. Of course, if your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant, then you may be faced with the need to recharge the unit on a frequent basis. This means that you will have to pay to have more refrigerant added to your system. R-22, one of the older refrigerants that is being phased out in favor of more eco-friendly options, is getting harder to find. If you have an air conditioner that is several years old and relies on R-22, then you may have to search high and low to find it. When you do locate a supply, it’s probably going to cost a great deal more than a supply of R410A. It’s also critical to consider that refrigerant can be harmful to human health as well as damaging to the environment. The chemicals that make up refrigerant are odorless and tasteless, so you could be inhaling or ingesting them without being aware of it. In fact, you or one of your family members, may develop a condition known as refrigerant poisoning. What Are the Symptoms of Refrigerant Poisoning? The earliest signs of refrigerant poisoning include symptoms such as headaches, irritation to the eyes or skin, coughing, nausea and vomiting. Frequently, these symptoms are mistaken for an illness like the flu. However, if refrigerant poisoning is not diagnosed and treated, the symptoms can become worse and potentially are even life-threatening. Some of these more serious symptoms may include:

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