Useful AC Repair Tips For Leaking Refrigerant

The refrigerant that your AC unit relies on will move through lines that sometimes can leak. If you spot this happening, here are some repair tips that can help you effectively handle this leaking before it leads to major cooling issues.

Identify All Instances of Leaks 

Your lines could be leaking refrigerant around multiple areas and it's important to check for sure so that when you do repairs, you target all of the right areas and subsequently don't have to worry about any leaks remaining. You just need to know where your refrigerant lines are and then follow them carefully so that you can make a note of any area that's leaking out the refrigerant. 

If you don't have the means of accessing these lines, then you should hire an AC repair contractor. They'll be thorough with their initial inspection and show what problem areas need to be addressed before running the AC system again. 

Wear the Appropriate Protection Gear

If you plan on checking for refrigerant leaks around your AC unit and eventually fixing them once they're spotted, you'll want to wear the appropriate protective gear. Then no matter what type of coolant your AC unit relies on, you can protect your body and stay safe.

You'll want to have on things like a respirator mask, protective goggles, work gloves, and potentially a body suit. Then even if you come in contact with refrigerant when checking the lines for leaks, you won't be harmed and can proceed to the necessary repair. 

Patch Over Damaged Areas With Heat-Shrink Tubing

The reason why refrigerant may be leaking out of your AC system's lines is probably because of structural damage. If it's not too bad, then you should try patching over it with heat-shrink tubing. Then you can keep more refrigerant from leaking out and affecting the performance of your AC unit.

You just need to find heat-shrink tubing that's compatible with your AC system's lines, as well as find a heating device to shrink the tubing enough to where a tight seal is created. Finally, monitor the patch to make sure it holds refrigerant in the lines going forward.

Refrigerant leaks aren't ideal because they can significantly hinder your AC unit's performance. For this reason, you need to assess these leaks carefully and find repair solutions that can alleviate this problem long term. Then you won't have to question the condition of your refrigerant lines. 

Contact an air conditioning repair service to learn more.