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When August rolls around in Manchester or Maysville and your AC doesn’t feel quite as cold as it did in June, you might hear someone say, “Maybe it just needs a little refrigerant top-off.” Sounds simple enough—but this is one summer myth that needs to melt away. Air conditioners don’t “use up” refrigerant like gas in a car. In fact, if your system is working properly, it should never need a recharge.
Let’s clear the air on how refrigerant works and what’s really going on when your system isn’t cooling like it should.
How Refrigerant Works
Refrigerant is the lifeblood of your air conditioner’s cooling process. It doesn’t get “used up” over time because it operates in a closed loop. Here’s what it does:
- Absorbs heat from indoor air through the evaporator coil
- Transfers that heat outside to the condenser coil
- Cycles back to repeat the process
Unless there’s a leak, your refrigerant charge stays the same year after year. If your AC needs more refrigerant, that means something has gone wrong—and dumping in more without fixing the source can make things worse.
Why You Shouldn’t Just Add Refrigerant
Adding refrigerant without diagnosing a leak is like topping off a tire with a nail still in it. You might get short-term relief, but the real problem is still there, getting worse.
- Overcharging the system can damage the compressor, one of the most expensive components in your AC.
- Incorrect pressures make your system run inefficiently or erratically, leading to higher energy bills.
- Repeated recharging without fixing the leak is just wasting money and putting your system at risk of failure.
Only licensed HVAC professionals, like the team at Premier, should handle refrigerant. We’ll find the leak, repair it properly, and recharge the system with the right amount of refrigerant—never more, never less.
How to Spot a Refrigerant Leak
While refrigerant doesn’t evaporate or “run out” naturally, leaks do happen—and late summer is a common time for them to show up. After months of heavy use, small cracks or weakened joints can begin to fail. Here are some signs to watch for:
- Warm air blowing from vents even though the system is running
- Longer cooling cycles that don’t seem to do the job
- Hissing or bubbling sounds from the AC unit
- Frozen evaporator coil, often visible through the access panel
- Higher energy bills without any changes in usage
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s time to turn the system off and call in the professionals.
Air Conditioning Repair You Can Trust
At Premier Heating & Air, we offer expert air conditioning repair services throughout Manchester and Maysville, KY. Our skilled technicians use precise diagnostics to locate refrigerant leaks, repair them correctly, and restore your system’s performance without guesswork or gimmicks. We don’t believe in “topping off” unless the job calls for it—because your comfort and your system’s health depend on doing it right the first time.
We understand how critical a dependable AC system is during a Kentucky summer. Whether you need a full system evaluation or air conditioning repair in Manchester, KY, Premier is ready with responsive service, honest recommendations, and Guaranteed Same Day Service whenever possible.