Does AC refrigerant run out after a period of time? What is refrigerant anyways? Is it dangerous to breathe it in?
Woah there! That’s a lot of questions. We are prepared to answer each and every one, but we’d also like to remind you that your air conditioner wouldn’t be filled with refrigerant if it wasn’t safe and effective at what it did. We’d even argue that air conditioners wouldn’t exist without refrigerant.
This is the blog post all about refrigerant, and we’re going to go through exactly what this chemical is and why it’s so important to the field of HVAC.
Long story short, if you arrived at this blog post looking for air conditioning repair in Pasadena, CA because your system is losing refrigerant, then you should call our team for help. But, while you’re waiting, you might as well learn a thing or two about this valuable material.
The Origins of Refrigerant
You’ve probably heard refrigerant be referred to as “Freon,” but that’s actually a trademarked name by the chemical company that invented it. While Freon had been used as the major type of refrigerant in air conditioners for much of the 20th century, it began causing some problems during the 90s when researchers were realizing that it was harmful to the environment. So, we started exploring newer and more efficient modes of capturing heat energy through materials, and Puron was invented!
Also known as R-410A, Puron is the most commonly used type of refrigerant today, but this too will be replaced by a newer, more efficient, and more environmentally stable refrigerant down the line. Basically, when we say the word “refrigerant,” we’re referring to hydrofluorocarbons that evaporate and condense quickly and efficiently, drawing heat into them.
Can an AC Run Without Refrigerant?
Well, it’s possible to run an air conditioner without the right amount of refrigerant, but it’s never a good idea.
Firstly, if your AC has no refrigerant in it, then it’s not going to cool air at all. It’s basically an oversized fan at that point since the air can’t lose heat when it cycles through the system. You’ll just be pushing hot air back into your home albeit with force from the blower fan.
However, even with a small amount of refrigerant, the AC just won’t be able to precisely cool your home and may only be able to cool small portions of it. Make sure your system has the right amount.
Is Refrigerant Dangerous?
No, refrigerant isn’t toxic to breathe in. It can be detected as a sweet, chloroform-like scent in your home.
However, refrigerant is denser than air, so it can become hazardous if it leaks into a sealed room of your home and pushes oxygen out. If you feel lightheaded or smell refrigerant leaking anywhere in your house, call our team for help.
So, Refrigerant Is Like a Fuel?
Nope! Refrigerant is not the fuel of your air conditioner. Your AC runs on electricity. Refrigerant is the heat transfer medium that is used mainly for the cooling process. So, your air conditioner isn’t going to consume refrigerant. The only way it can lose refrigerant is through a leak.
