A heat pump requires refrigerant to transfer heat from one part of your home to the other. During operation, the heat pump changes the refrigerant between gaseous and liquid states to warm or cool your rooms. Low refrigerant levels can cause significant problems into your system in Cutler Bay, FL, and here are some signs that your refrigerant level is low.
Increase in Energy Bills
If there are no significant changes in your heating and cooling requirements in your home, yet the energy bills keep going up, there is a chance that the refrigerant level is low. The refrigerant absorbs the heat that blows over the evaporator coils. If the refrigerant level is not enough, the heat pump will run many cycles to heat or cool a room.
When your HVAC system runs longer and works harder, it consumes more energy. Other issues that may cause an increase in energy bills include an aging AC system or a heat pump that is too small or too large for your home.
Inefficient Performance
If the heat pump blows warm air from the vents when it should be blowing cold air, the refrigerant level might be low. Inefficient cooling shows that your heat pump is not able to absorb enough heat in each cycle. Besides low refrigerant levels, a dirty air filter can also lead to inefficient performance.
Ice on the Evaporator Coils
Low refrigerant levels can result in a drop in the temperature of the refrigerant. This causes ice to build up in the evaporator coils. Your system has a defrost function, but ice will continue to form.
However, ice can also form due to dirty filters or closed vents. A HVAC professional will inspect the heat pump to see where the problem is and fix it.
Strange gurgling noises can also indicate low refrigerant levels, while hissing and bubbling sounds show that the refrigerant may be escaping from the lines. Call RCI Air Conditioning Company professionals for air conditioning and heating services and any other HVAC-related services in Cutler Bay, FL.
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