Refrigerant plays an important role in your air conditioning system’s performance. It’s the medium used to transfer heat from the indoor air to the outside of your home. While most homeowners have at least heard of refrigerant, though, many of them are unfamiliar with its properties and how it works. Here are five things you didn’t know about air conditioning refrigerant.
#1) Up to 20 Pounds Per AC System
Air conditioning systems use a lot of refrigerants. A typical residential air conditioning system may use 10 to 20 pounds of refrigerant, whereas commercial air conditioning systems use even more refrigerant. Air conditioning systems are closed, meaning the refrigerant shouldn’t escape. But leaks can occur that result in lower refrigerant levels, in which the air conditioning system must be repaired.
#2) Changes Between a Gas and Fluid State
As it travels through your air conditioning system, the refrigerant will cycle between a gas and fluid state. It will leave the evaporator coil as a gas. At the condenser coil, the refrigerant will change to a liquid. It will repeat this cycle indefinitely while your air conditioning system is running.
#3) R22 Is No Longer Produced or Imported
If your air conditioning system still uses R22 refrigerant, you may want to upgrade it to a newer model. RSS is no longer produced or imported in the United States. As a hydrofluorocarbon (HCFC), it’s been shown to damage the Ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. This has prompted many countries, including the Unites States, to regulate its use.
#4) Frozen Coils Indicate Low Refrigerant
Frozen coils are a telltale sign of low refrigerant. When refrigerant begins to leak out of an air conditioning system, it will result in lower pressure. Moisture vapor will then condense and freeze on the coils. This may only affect the evaporator coil, or it may affect both the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. Regardless, many homeowners notice frozen coils when their air conditioning system is leaking refrigerant.
#5) R-410A Uses a Different Pressure Than R-22
In the past, most air conditioning systems used R-22 refrigerant. Today, R-410A has become the most common type of refrigerant used in residential air conditioning systems. It serves the same purpose of acting as a heat medium to facilitate the transfer of heat. However, R-410A uses a different pressure than R-22, so they aren’t interchangeable. You can’t just replace R-22 with R-410A. If your air conditioning system still uses R-22, you’ll need to upgrade it so that it will accommodate the newer and more Eco-friendly R-410A refrigerant.
