There’s a myth about refrigerant in heat pumps? As it turns out, yes. Many people believe that refrigerant is something that needs to be refilled over time, which is entirely incorrect. However, believing it could ruin your heat pump system, causing you to look for a technician nearby. Here are the facts.
You Shouldn’t Ever Run Out Of Refrigerant
Inside your heat pump is a reservoir, which contains the refrigerant. Connected to it is a hose which allows the refrigerant to travel through the system. Yes, your levels of refrigerant are important, and you must have enough refrigerant within the system; otherwise, it won’t function. However, it does not run out, evaporate, disappear, or need to be topped up. In fact, if the levels of your refrigerant are steadily decreasing, you’ll need a heat pump technician near you to look into what is causing this.
What’s The Function Of Refrigerant?
The refrigerant in your heat pump changes from a liquid to a gas, and back again. It absorbs heat when you want cooling, and releases it when you want heating – all the while, going back and forth between being in a liquid or gaseous state. To make this happen, the compressor changes the liquid into a high-pressure and hot gas. The refrigerant transfers to another coil in the system, releasing the heat with condensation. To reverse the system and provide cooling, the refrigerant flows over the coils in the opposite direction.
What Happens If I’m Losing Refrigerant?
As mentioned, it’s not possible or normal for the refrigerant levels in your heat pump system to decrease. But if it does happen, it means you have a leak. Leaking refrigerant is not something to be taken lightly or ignored, because it can lead to a whole host of new problems. If you suspect that you have a leak in your heat pump system, look out for the following signs:
- There’s refrigerant coming out of the heat pump system
- There’s a low output of cooling
- Hissing sounds are coming out from within the heat pump
If you recognise any of these signs in your own heat pump, it’s time for it to get serviced. Call your heat pump technician, or search on Google for heat pump repair technicians near you.
Refrigerant issues that are ignored can cause faults within your heat pump system that cost a lot to repair. As soon as you suspect that your heat pump is leaking refrigerant, make sure to call your nearby technician in to perform an inspection.
