Do you need to refill your air conditioner’s refrigerant? Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair can help. Call us now at (317) 648-5133 to schedule an appointment.
Every air conditioner unit contains a refrigerant within the copper coils. This chemical component constantly switches between gas and liquid state to pull heat from your home’s air.
When the refrigerant levels drop below the standard threshold due to leaks, the air conditioner will stop delivering enough cool air to keep you comfortable when temperatures rise.
If you don’t know how to add refrigerant to an AC unit, this is the point where you call in an HVAC technician to find the source of the leak and refill the refrigerant. As Greenwood’s expert air conditioner repair pros, refrigerant refill is one of the most common services we provide.
However, if you are the DIY type, you can attempt refilling the refrigerant on your own. We’ll cover how to do it in this post.
Should You Add Refrigerant to Your AC Unit On Your Own?
You can add refrigerant to your AC unit on your own if you have the stomach for such DIY work. However, it’s not a job for the inexperienced hand. You’ll have to handle the dangerous chemical that is the refrigerant and use specialized equipment without making any mistakes.
Getting any part of the process wrong could mean forking out money to replace your air conditioner or suffering severe body injuries.
Only a technician licensed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can legally handle R-22 or Freon. So if your air conditioner uses the refrigerant R-22, you’ll be breaking the law by handling the chemical on your own.
Even other types like R12, R410A, and R134 are only slightly more accessible without the right qualification. If you’re wondering why your AC bill is so high, it could be due to various factors including refrigerant leaks, improper maintenance, or an inefficient system. It’s essential to address these issues promptly to reduce energy consumption and lower your utility costs.
How to Add Refrigerant to Your AC Unit
Here are nine steps to follow to add the refrigerant on your own.
1. Confirm the Signs of a Refrigerant Leak
You should only be thinking of adding refrigerant to your air conditioner if you’re certain that refrigerant has leaked out of your system. The first sign of a low refrigerant level is warm air coming out of your air conditioner when it’s in use. The second sign is ice buildup on the system’s coils while it’s in operation.
2. Check to Confirm You Have the Proper Refrigerant
As we mentioned above, different air conditioners have different types of refrigerants. Freon or R-22 is the most popular, but it was phased out decades ago and is now completely banned. It means that there is a strong possibility that your air conditioner doesn’t use R-22.
The EPA has also started the phaseout of other refrigerants, but some will be in circulation for a while.
So, read your user manual or the product information to see the right type of refrigerant to use before you buy it.
3. Wear Safety Gear
If you have the right refrigerant, it’s time to proceed with the refrigerant refill. But first, you must wear the right gear. Refrigerant is a dangerous chemical that can cause burns or irritation if you come in direct contact with it.
Therefore, you should wear protective gear that will prevent that from happening. Some recommendations include a respirator, gloves, safety goggles, and thick coveralls. If you don’t want to take the risks, don’t hesitate to hire a professional technician. They are often more prepared to handle the risks.
4. Check the Temperature Outside
You should only add refrigerant to your air conditioner if the temperature outside is at least 55°F. Trying to add the refrigerant in colder temperatures will lead to wastage as the chemical tends to move toward the coldest area.
5. Turn Off the Air Conditioner
You should switch off the power to your air conditioner before you begin the process of refilling it. Go to the breaker box and turn off the breaker that powers your unit.
6. Connect the Refrigerant Gauges to Your Air Conditioner
Your refrigerant will come in a compressed cylinder, but the package should also include a pressure gauge, temperature probes, and hose setup. To connect the gauge, attach the blue hose to the low-pressure port of your air conditioner’s suction line. Do the same thing with the red hose by hooking it to the high-pressure port.
7. Turn On the Air Conditioner
Go back to the breaker and turn on the air conditioner. Once it’s working, give it 15 minutes of runtime to stabilize. Waiting this long will also give the pressure gauges enough time to get an accurate reading.
8. Connect the Refrigerant Hose to Add the Refrigerant
This is the most important part of the process, so you should pay attention to avoid any mistakes.
- Attach one end of the yellow hose to the valve on the refrigerant cylinder and the other end to the valve in between the pressure gauges.
- Turn the valve at the bottom of the refrigerant cylinder a few times to open it up.
- Open the valve near the blue low-pressure gauge for a few seconds and close it immediately.
- Repeat the step a few times until you reach the temperature displayed on the outdoor unit rating plate.
Remember, you can only add the refrigerant in small increments through the low-pressure section. Anything else and you’ll damage the air conditioner and contaminate your immediate environment.
9. Disconnect the Gauges and Hose
After you’ve reached the right temperature, you can wind down the operation by turning off the blue low-temperature valve close to the knob at the bottom of the refrigerant cylinder. Disconnect the yellow, blue, and red hose, and re-install the valve caps.
Get Expert Help for Your Refrigerant Refill
Knowing how to add refrigerant to an AC unit is one thing; carrying out the task is another. If the steps above sound too technical for you, don’t attempt them. Our experienced team can complete the refill and ensure proper AC unit placement before we leave.
Call Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair today at (317) 648-5133 for your refrigerant troubles in Greenwood, IN and the surrounding areas.