Having an air conditioner is mandatory, especially if you live in the city of Houston in Texas. The temperature in the city can easily exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and without a cooling system, it can turn your house into a veritable sauna bath. But there’s nothing worse than having your AC malfunction during the nights, weekends, or holidays when the chances of finding a technician are slim. The only option you have during those circumstances is a service that is available for 24 hour AC repair Houston that arrives at your home just when you need them. Whether it’s morning or late night, they will ensure your problem is solved. However, one of the main reasons behind ineffective cooling is a low refrigerant charge, most probably because of a leak. Why is refrigerant essential, how does it work, and what type is used in air conditioners? Find out.
What is a Refrigerant?
Refrigerant Gas is a chemical compound found in a liquid or gaseous state. It is used in an air conditioner to provide the cooling effect by drawing the warm air from outside, processing it, and eventually releasing cool air into your room. Although there are different refrigerants, you cannot use them interchangeably because using the wrong one can damage your AC.
How Does an AC work?
Firstly, warm air is pulled through a vent and run over the evaporator coils located inside the air handler or attached to the furnace. When the refrigerants absorb the warm air, they are converted from a liquid to a gaseous state and travel towards the compressor. The compressor’s job is to compress the gaseous refrigerant and change it into a high-pressure gas. In the next step, the high-pressure gas reaches the condenser and interacts with the outside air, absorbing the coolant’s heat and changing it to a liquid state. Once the heat is removed, the refrigerant travels back indoors to the evaporator. The entire process continues until your room reaches the desired temperature.
Different Types of Coolants
Two different types of coolants are used in air conditioning systems around the USA, which are R-22 or Freon and R-410a or Puron. Another refrigerant called R-12, which companies earlier used in ACs, was banned by the United States in 1978. The reason was the presence of chemicals in CFCs that were believed to deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. The United States Environmental Protection Agency also banned the use of Freon or R-22 in new air conditioning systems in 2010 as it was classified as an ozone-depleting substance. However, it is still available for old systems that still require it.
Which Type of Coolant is Used in Houston?
Because of the two bans mentioned above, R-410a is the most widely used refrigerant in Houston and Texas. As mentioned earlier, you cannot add R-410a to a system that runs on R-22 since both are incompatible and use different types of coils. When there’s no other way, the technician will have to replace the evaporator coil or the entire indoor system, including the heating unit. The repair service will know what type is best and usually have a supply.
When you contact a 24 hour AC repair in Houston service, they will tell you what kind of refrigerant is suitable for your AC and why. Even though the technician will take care of the entire process, it is beneficial to have an overall idea of how the system works in the long run.
