3 Symptoms of a Refrigerant Leak in Your Heat Pump in Cape Coral, FL

Refrigerant leaks may derail your heat pump’s ability to function, raise your energy costs and pose a significant danger to your health. Homeowners in Cape Coral, FL need to recognize the signs of such events so that they can get help to deal with them. Here are three of the principal indications that your heat pump is leaking refrigerant.

1. Short Cycling

Heat pumps should pass through standard cycles in which they alternately turn on and off, cooling your home and then shutting off after the temperature has reached its ideal point. When they turn off before they can properly cool your home and then turn on again, we call this short cycling.

Since many things can cause short cycling, it’s important to schedule regular maintenance for your system and let professionals catch and fix issues early. However, if refrigerant is low, your heat pump will only be able to transfer a little bit of heat per cycle, and excessive cycling may occur. Your home will feel warm despite the AC running.

2. Odors and Noises

When your heat pump is in trouble, it may begin emitting a variety of strange odors and noises. Each such sound or smell may point to a different problem, and sometimes, the same symptom may have multiple causes.

Luckily, refrigerant has a distinct smell and generates a characteristic sound when it leaks out. It has an odor depending on the type of refrigerant. It can smell sweet or like exhaust. When it escapes from your heat pump’s refrigerant lines, you’ll probably hear hissing.

3. Liquid Leaks

As it moves through your heat pump, refrigerant will repeatedly shift between liquid and gaseous states. Though it’s common for it to leak out when it’s a gas, it may also do so when it’s a liquid. Therefore, inspect the area around your heat every so often and keep an eye out for leaks.

Never leave any situation like the ones we’ve described unaddressed. If you think your heat pump is leaking refrigerant, and you can smell it inside your home, it’s best to evacuate your home. If the refrigerant is leaking from the outside coils, you won’t smell it, but your home will not continue cooling. The air coming from your vents when the system is running, will be warm. In either case, call Arctic Air Home Services (formerly Spectrum), and request AC services.

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