"The difference between a successful person and others is not the lack of strength, not the lack of knowledge, but rather the lack in will."Vince Lombardi"Success is the sum of small effort, repeated day in and day out."Robert CollierHow Can I Tell if I Have a Freon Leak? is a trade name for a class of chemicals (known as Chlorofluorocarbons or CFC's) used as a refrigerant in air conditioning systems. Freon is a gas at room temperature and a liquid when cooled or compressed. Freon gas is colorless, non-flammable and relatively odorless. Some Freons have an ether-like odor. gas is added to the compressor of the AC unit. This compressor is located outdoors on AC split-systems and inside wall-mounted residential units. Freon is added to a closed looped system and continuously recycled. Freon gas leaks can ocurr at the outdoor compressor or indoors as the Freonliquid is pumped into the AC unit. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recommends the coolant level in your HVAC system be checked every year.

A system that is only 10% low in coolant will not operate efficiently and can cost over 20% more on your monthly utility bills. Continued operation of your HVAC units with low coolant can damage your compressor. Freon is 4 times heavier than air and sinks to the ground/floor initially when a leak occurs. Freon will rapidly disperse due to its high volatility. Federal law prohibits adding Freon to a leaking system. cost of replacing hvac systemRepairs to fix the leak must be completed prior to adding Freon as Freon has been shown to damage the Earth's protective Ozone layer.picking ac unit is dependent upon the amount of Freon in the system and the space/size of the area where the leak occurs. ac compressor home unitRepresentative quantities of Freon by type used include:

Note: Freon is also used extensively in the food service industry during storage, processing and transport including supermarkets. Reportedly, Freon does not have serious long-term health effects. It is not a carcinogen, mutagen or cause damage to the liver. It is primarily a simple asphyxiant which displaces oxygen causing dizziness and suffocation at very high concentrations. It has limited irritation effects. Persons with a history of heart problems are most at risk since it has been shown to cause irregular heart beats and palpitations in high concentrations. Air conditioners work by removing heat from warm air in your buildings/homes and replacing it with cool air until the thermostat reaches the desired temperature. Freon provides cooling by: HVAC units also help clean the air inside your facility by filtering the air of dust, pollen, mold spores and other allergens. Air conditioners also function as dehumidifiers as they take excess water vapor from the air and use it to help cool the unit.

How Can I Tell if I have a Freon Leak? Don't rely on a detectable odor. Look for frost-like buildup on the copper lines around the HVAC unit. Check to see if the HVAC unit is blowing warm air. If you discover you have a Freon leak, evacuate the building and contact your HVAC technician for immediate repairs. Windows and doors can be opened and fans used to bring fresh air into the building. If you feel any unusual health effects, seek medical care. July 2009 - Salt Lake City, Utah... 6 treated after Freon leak from refrigeration compressor failure at Costco Warehouse. June 2009 - Philippines... Thick smoke from a Freon leak in an overheating AC unit filled Fession Hall during official speech. February 2009 - Raleigh, North Carolina... State laboratory of public housing building evacuated due to  Freon leak. November 2008 - Russia... 20 People suffocate and 21 injured by Freon gas on Russian Submarine when vessels fire extinguishing system unexpectedly activate.

As a client or contact of AET you are automatically opted in to receive AET's free newsletter.  If you would like to be removed from the subscription, please email reply changing the subject line to "Opt-Out".  We apologize in advance for any duplication.Select to search all Patches What to Do When Your Air Conditioner is Low on Freon When homeowners A/C doesn't seam to cool off the house the most common thought is "my air conditioner is low on Freon." Is that really the problem? Summer time is almost here. It is getting warmer outside and you will soon be using your a/c. The most common question by homeowners is "does my a/c need freon?". First thing is "Freon" is a trademark name byDupont. Freon is actually regrigerant of many types. Most common residential a/c systems use R-22. Saying freon is like saying Xerox instead of copy machine. I am going to call it Freon for now. People think because the air coming from there registers feels to warm, or there house isn't cooling off fast enough it must need freon.

Freon should not leak from your a/c. Air conditioning systems are sealed and should never leak. This isn't like putting gas in your car. If freon has leaked there is a problem. You need to have a qualified HVAC technician repair the leak or else this will keep happening. When an A/C gets low on freon it is very normal for the indoor coil to freeze to a block of ice. Then when that ice melts you will get water leaking in the furnace and on the floor. Water will damage the furnace and just make your problems worse. Majority of service calls for "my a/c is low on freon" turns out to be just a plugged air filter. It is important that you change your furnace filter every month if you use a standard 1" thick filter.Signs A/C is low on Refrigerant You feel low airflow coming from registers Air starts to feel warmer from registers Water on floor by your furnace Ice building up on copper lines from a/c to indoor coil House takes longer than normal to cool off Now above are typical signs, but remember the majority of problems are something else beside low on refrigerant.

Having your a/c cleaned and tested annually by a HVAC company can save you a lot of money over the years. One new fact to keep in mind is R22 refrigerant is in the process of being discontinued. 2010 all manufactures had to stop using R22 in there new equipment. As this happens the cost of R22 will keep going up. So if you have an a/c leaking this is just another reason you want to get it fixed so it doesn't happen again. New a/c units will typically cost 30% less to run and will use the new enviromentally friendly refrigerant called R410a.  Now in 2012 the EPA has reduced R22 production more than expected and this has caused the price to drastically rise. This post is contributed by a community member. The views expressed in this post are the author's. Registered users are welcome to post on Patch. More from St. Michael Patch Daily Newsletter - The latest St. Michael news delivered to your inbox every morning Breaking News Alerts - Real-time updates on breaking stories in St. Michael