Remember 10 years ago when you’d turn your central air on and within just a few minutes your house felt cool and comfortable? But now, no matter how low you set your thermostat, it just doesn’t seem to get that cool anymore. Most homeowners automatically assume their unit is broken. And while that could certainly be the case, it’s also likely that you’re just low on Freon. If a leaky pipe is causing you to have to add more refrigerant, here’s how to remedy the situation in six easy steps.
How to Put Freon in Your Air Conditioning Unit
- Gather supplies
- Turn off the system
- Protect yourself
- Find & fix the leak
- Recharge the AC
- Add refrigerant
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
In order to properly and safely replace your Freon, you’ll need a few things:
- Goggles
- Gloves
- A Freon repair kit
- A temperature and pressure gauge
- Protective mask
- Freon
Step 2: Turn Off Your System
But when we say “off” we don’t just mean powering it down. If you’re ever working on an electrical appliance, you should temporarily cut all of the power going to that unit or area of the house.
Step 3: Protect Yourself
Though Freon is not toxic to humans, it’s always good to take every precaution available. Before you start refilling your unit, throw on your gloves, protective breathing mask, and goggles.
Step 4: Find and Plug The Leak
Attach a temperature gauge to your valves and wait around five minutes and read both gauges. An adequate reading will depend on your model, but you can usually find that in the instruction manual that came with it, or by a simple Google search. Because refrigerant doesn’t evaporate, low levels means that there’s a leak. After a quick inspection, you should be able to find the source of the problem.
Once you’ve found the leak, attach your repair kit to the compressor and follow the instructions that came with your specific kit.
Step 5: Recharge the System
To recharge your system, reconnect your gauges and connect your Freon to them. It’s always important that you use the gauges to ensure you’re getting a clear reading.
Step 6: Add Refrigerant
Once everything is fully connected, release the valve on your Freon container and let it circulate throughout the system. To get the best reading, add small amounts of Freon at a time, leaving a 10-minute gap between each addition.
If you feel like you’ve tried everything, but your air conditioner still isn’t working up to par, call the experts at Mitch Wright for an inspection. Every one of our technicians is required to participate in on-going industry training by the best trainers in the world!