If you have noticed the cost of cooling your home has increased in recent months for no apparent reason, it is possible you have some form of leak. Even small leaks can compromise the efficiency of your air conditioning system and increase energy usage. Leaks can also place the system under greater strain, forcing it to work harder to compensate for the leak and maintain the temperature. This additional stress can increase the likelihood of a breakdown and could even compromise the lifespan of your air conditioning. Therefore, it is vital that you assess whether your air conditioner is leaking.
You Notice there is Condensation:
One of the most visible symptoms of a leaking air conditioner is if you see small puddles of water. You may have seen this effect when you run the air conditioning in your vehicle. When you park the vehicle, there may be a small amount of water underneath. While this is not a concern on your vehicle, it can be problematic inside your home.
When you are lowering the temperature of the indoor air, moisture vapor contained in the air condenses to a liquid form, which creates drops of condensation. This is the same principle as dew forming on summer mornings. The water is released during the coolest hours of the day.
Air conditioners can assist with dehumidifying the air as they operate, most models feature a pan to catch this liquid as it is formed. Unfortunately, if there is an issue with this condensation pan or the line which drains the liquid away, it can cause the pan to drip or in cases where there is a particularly high amount of air humidity, there may be an overflow in the pan. Most systems have a sensor to detect this type of problems and your system may automatically shut off.
The System is Taking Longer to Cool Down the Home:
Another sign that your air conditioner may be leaking is that it is taking longer to cool the home down to your preferred temperature. This can be an indication that there is a leak of refrigerant somewhere in your system. Air conditioner units should be completely sealed, meaning that no refrigerant is lost. Unfortunately, when a leak occurs, it not only means that your system is no longer working efficiently, but if the levels of refrigerant get too low, it could damage vital components including the compressor. With this type of problem, the leak needs to be traced and corrected before more refrigerant is added.
There are Hot Spots in the Home:
If the whole house feels comfortably cool, but there is a particular area that feels hotter, you could have a leak somewhere in your ductwork. Ducts can become damaged during home repairs or as they age. Even minor leaks could mean that you are losing cooled air into areas of your home where it is no benefit. For example, many ductwork leaks occur in areas of the home that are not air conditioned, such as crawlspaces or attics. This wastes energy and compromises the efficiency of your system. It can also cause issues heating the home when you use your HVAC system in the colder weather.