You may want to cool off in the summer heat by turning your air conditioner on. But if you notice that your cooling system doesn’t seem to be working, it could be a result of low air conditioner refrigerant. 

Here are 7 signs of low refrigerant in ac and needs a top-up.

Your home takes too long to cool

The refrigerant absorbs indoor heat and expels it outside. When your air conditioner has low refrigerant levels, it takes a lot longer to absorb this heat and have a cooling effect in your home. Factors like size of the unit, power, and age can also cause this, but if these other factors aren’t an issue, you need to top up your refrigerant levels.  

The vents blow warm air

Because the refrigerant is meant to absorb heat and expel it, it blows cool air into the rooms of your home. When refrigerant levels are low, this isn’t done effectively, so it ends up blowing warm air throughout your home. 

Your energy bills are higher than normal

When your air conditioner has low refrigerant levels, it is going to have to work a lot harder to cool your home. This means that it is going to consume a lot more energy as it functions to cool your home. If you notice a consistent hike in your energy bills every month, it’s time to get your AC refrigerant levels checked. 

You notice ice on the refrigerant lines

If you notice a build-up of ice on the refrigerant lines of your air conditioner system, it’s time to call an ac repair  professional to top-up your AC refrigerant levels. 

There is a bubbling or hissing noise

If there is a leak in the system, it will cause the refrigerant to escape through it, producing a bubbling or hissing noise. Turn it off immediately and get it checked if this happens.

read more: Air Conditioning Maintenance

Water is leaking around the heater

When the ice that has built up on the refrigerant lines melt, it can create a puddle of water around the furnace and sometimes, even seep into it. The area surrounding your furnace should never have water around it. This is a sign that you need to top up your refrigerant levels.   

The temperature set is never achieved

You may set your thermostat to a particular temperature. The thermometer on your air conditioner system, however, may never reach that temperature. This could indicate that your AC refrigerant levels need a top-up.