Does My Heat Pump Have a Refrigerant Leak in Sarasota, FL?

Refrigerant leaks can undermine both the safety and comfort of your Sarasota, FL, home. For that reason, learn to spot the signs that your heat pump is leaking refrigerant. Here’s some information that will help you spot a heat pump refrigerant leak:

Diminished Heat Pump Performance

Since your heat pump needs refrigerant to transfer heat from one area to another, refrigerant loss results in a clear and immediate drop in the system’s performance. In addition, the system may not function correctly. For example, it may short cycle, which will affect its ability to keep you warm.

Of course, a refrigerant leak isn’t the only thing that can cause these problems. To rule out other explanations for weak heat pump performance, pay attention to other signs.

Providing your heat pump with regular maintenance will help service technicians find refrigerant leaks to prevent drops in performance and efficiency. For that reason, you should schedule maintenance at least once per year.

Ether-Like Odor

A more definite sign that there’s been a heat pump refrigerant leak is the sudden appearance of an ether-like odor. Since this is the characteristic smell of refrigerant, it’s more than a probable indicator of a leak; it’s a guarantee of it.

Hissing or Bubbling Noises

Finally, remember that when the refrigerant leaks out of your heat pump, you’ll probably hear hissing noises. This is because gaseous refrigerant usually will escape through holes somewhere in your system’s refrigerant lines. As air bubbles move in to displace the lost gas, you may also hear bubbling.

If your heat pump in your Sarasota, FL, home develops a refrigerant leak, don’t fix the leak yourself. It’s dangerous and can cause you harm. Instead, let the heating contractors handle this risky work. Call All American Heating & Cooling and ask for our HVAC services, including heat pump repairs.

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