What to do When your Air Conditioner is Leaking Refrigerant

If you’ve inspected your air-conditioning unit and found it has a leak, it is critical to know what to do when your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we know the damage it can causes, and all the causes—and fixes—of leaking refrigerant—and the most common offenders. If you suspect you have a leak you need to visually inspect the unit for the tell-tale fluid stains or use a leak detector.

Once you know that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak you need to correct them immediately or they will allow air and moisture to penetrate your cooling system, waste expensive coolant and damage the ozone layer should they leak into the environment due to the CFCs that they emit. Even more importantly leaks can reduce the overall efficiency of your air conditioner, could freeze the evaporator coil and otherwise permanently damage the unit.

Running an air-conditioning system with leaks will increase your electric bill and increase repair bills down the road as the leak(s) continue to damage the unit. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we have seen first-hand the permanent damaged caused when an air conditioner is leaking refrigerant.

What to Do When your Air Conditioner is Leaking Refrigerant
If you’ve discovered that your air conditioner is leaking fluid you will need to address the source—and remedy it like a mechanic fixes a faulty transmission. But first you need to find the cause of the leak:

  1. Manufacturer Defect
    If the refrigerant is leaking due to a manufacturer’s defect like a poor welding job, incorrectly aligned joint or lack of seal then it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to fix it under the warranty of the device. To fix it you simply need to find an authorized technician that can fix it for the manufacturer.

  2. Normal Wear and Tear
    Any machine with moving parts will naturally have wear and tear over the years. This includes things like rust- and acid-caused leaks in the tubing and joints and leaks caused from worn rubber seals. These are easily remedied by a professional with the necessary parts—but we don’t recommend over-the-counter products available at Home Depot-like stores as they often don’t properly seal the leak and can void the unit’s warranty.

So, what to do when your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant? Call us at Furnace King, your  HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville—we will fix the leak and assess any damage done by the leaked refrigerant.

5 Precautions to Ensure your Air Conditioning System can Run Throughout the Summer

In hot Ontarian summers air-con systems are a blessing—but a curse when they break down from improper maintenance and heavy loading-caused wear-and-tear. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we’ve got a number of time-tested-and-true tips to keep your unit in tip-top shape. We’ve got 5 helpful precautions to ensure your air conditioning system can run through the summer efficiently:

  1. Check/Change your air Filter
    Your air filter is like the wizard-behind-the-curtain of your air-conditioning unit and controls the air flow and air quality. Keeping your air filter clean will keep your unit running smoothly as it will prevent the air flow from bogging down, which happens with a dirty filter will. It will also prevent allergens from circulating in your home.When the weather is extremely hot change your air filter more often. You will use less power and have cleaner air.

  2. Check for Debris
    To ensure your air conditioning system can run throughout the summer efficiently you need to check to see that there is no debris in and around the exterior of the unit that can be sucked into the device (which would cause it to work harder and less efficiently). Create a two-foot perimeter between the air-conditioning unit and all debris.

  3. Check your Ventilation
    Just as the exterior needs to be free from debris you should also check the interior ventilation to ensure it is free of vent-clogging elements like garbage, children’s toys (you would be amazed how many times we have seen this) or anything else that can restrict air flow and cause the unit to work harder than needed. This should be done be a qualified HVAC professional.While we check your vents for debris we’ll also look to see if there is any mold or mildew, which will adversely affect the air quality in your home.

  4. Vent Heat Sources Outdoors
    The more heat-creating appliances that you vent outdoors the cooler your home will be and the less your air-conditioning unit will have to work on overdrive. This means the stove, clothes dryer and bathroom all need to be properly vented to the outdoors.

  5. Check your Ducts
    If your ducts have leaks you will lose valuable cool air, which will force the unit to work harder—so ensure all your ducts are professionally sealed. While you are at it you will want to seal any air leaks around doors and windows.For more tips continue to follow our blog, as your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville—we’ve got you covered for a cool summer and we’ll help your take all necessary  precautions to ensure your air conditioning system can run through the summer efficiently.

Simple Ways to Prepare Your Air Conditioning System for the Summer

After a long winter, some simple maintenance is often all that’s needed to get your Mississauga air conditionersrunning at peak efficiency. The following are a few ways to prepare your A/C system for the hot summer weather ahead.

  • Safety is a priority. Before starting any work on your air conditioning system, always remember to turn off power at the indoor service panel and the shutoff box located near the outdoor condenser unit.
  • Get in the habit of cleaning or replacing your furnace or air-handler filters regularly. Clogged filters restrict air flow, recirculating dust within your home and reducing the efficiency of your unit.
  • Removing debris from the outdoor condenser unit is important too. Leaves and grass clippings can obstruct proper air flow and need to be cleared away from the base of the unit. Similarly, remove any items that have collected in the base pan underneath and cut back any weeds or vines that may have grown through the unit blocking air flow. Make sure the support for the outdoor unit is level to keep moisture draining properly.

Whether you’re a DIYer, or prefer to rely on our heating & air conditioning Mississauga professionals to handle the proper cleaning and servicing of your air conditioning system, some basic maintenance will help lower your utility bills and prolong the life of your unit.

The benefits of installing a tankless water heater in your home

If your hot water tank is over ten years old and running out of hot water more often than it used to, you may want to consider the advantages of installing a new electric or gas-fired tankless water heater in its place.

First of all, tankless water heaters are space savers. Often the size of a suitcase, these quiet, compact units are usually designed to hang on a wall, freeing up the area where the traditional 40-gallon holding tank once occupied space next to your Mississauga furnaces.

Secondly, tankless units can produce an unlimited supply of hot water. Once the faucet is turned on, a sensor operated heat exchanger heats water flowing through heating coils to the desired temperature based on the flow rate demanded, shutting down automatically when the faucet is turned off.

Energy savings are another major benefit to homeowners. In order to maintain water temperature, a standard tank heats water periodically accounting for up to twenty percent of your water heating costs, while a tankless unit operates on a need to use basis. In fact, it is estimated an ENERGY STAR qualified tankless water heater can reduce your home’s water heating expenses by thirty percent.

Start reaping all the benefits of a tankless water heater in your home by ensuring it is properly installed to meet all applicable codes by our qualified, licensed heating & air conditioning Mississauga company. With regular maintenance and no risk of rust or corrosion, tankless units are estimated to last twice as long as a normal hot water tank.