An air conditioner is one of the most important systems in your home, one that ensures you can enjoy all seasons in comfort. But when there is a problem with your air conditioner, it is not only uncomfortable, but it is hard to know what to do. There are various AC problems, but one possible solution is to recharge your air conditioning unit.
“Recharging AC unit” is a process that can add refrigerant gas to an air conditioning system. This can be done to provide cooling, particularly when the air conditioning unit has a leak.
Recharging AC units is especially useful when:
. The air conditioning system has cooled down slowly and is blowing hot air.
. The system is blowing warm or hot air.
. The air conditioning unit has been leaking refrigerant and the temperature gauge of the unit has fluctuated up and down.
. The air conditioning unit has stopped cooling, but there is still refrigerant inside of it.
. The air conditioning unit is blowing warm air and there is no more refrigerant inside of it.
So What Exactly Is AC Recharging?
Recharging AC units means adding refrigerant through a special hose that is connected to a can of compressed gas. The hose moves the gas to the air conditioning system and the compressor of the unit then absorbs it, which adds pressure to the system.
Some air conditioning units have a built-in recharge cycle. If this is the case, the compressor will automatically add refrigerant to the system once it detects a drop in pressure and a drop in temperature.
The air conditioning unit is blowing warm air and there is no more refrigerant inside of it.
Some units even have a built-in recharge cycle, but still require you to add the gas manually. This is really useful if the unit is not cooling at all and cannot be corrected by manually adding refrigerant.
Why Does Recharges Happen?
If the air conditioning unit leaks, then naturally the refrigerant will leak out of it. The air conditioning unit would no longer work, because there would be no pressure or cooling.
This is when you need to recharge your air conditioning unit. You can recharge it by adding a gas that you can purchase at a local home improvement store. The process takes just a few minutes and then the AC unit will heat and cool as it should.
Signs That You Need to Recharge Your Unit
Usually, you will be able to tell that your air conditioning unit needs to be recharged by noticing when the refrigerant leaks out of it. But there are other signs that your air conditioning unit needs to be recharged:
1. When the AC is Blowing Warm Air – When your air conditioning unit is blowing warm or hot air, then you need to recharge it.
2. When the Unit Freezes – If your unit is not cooling and it is freezing, then there may be a leak and you will need to recharge it.
3. When the Thermostat is Faulty – If you notice that the temperature is constantly fluctuating and the temperature gauge does not move at all, then your thermostat may be faulty and you will need to get it replaced. In addition, if the unit is blowing warm air and the temperature gauge is not moving, then you need to recharge the unit.
The Bottom Line: When Should You Replace or Recharge Your AC Unit?
If you have been noticing that your air conditioning unit is not cooling properly, then it would be time to recharge it. While you can do it yourself, it’s always better to hire a professional as not only can they do it properly, but they can also inspect your AC unit and determine whether it can be solved by a recharge, or if it needs to be replaced entirely.
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