A few blog posts ago, we wrote about an important topic: the types of refrigerant used in air conditioning systems and why we recommend you upgrade to a unit that uses R-410A refrigerant. The short version (if you don’t want to go on a click-adventure): if you have an old AC that uses phased-out R-22 refrigerant, technicians cannot repair it if it leaks refrigerant. Refrigerant in an air conditioning system must remain at a set level (known as the AC’s charge), so in case of leaks, technicians must restore the original charge after sealing the leaks.
This brings us to another topic, one that often affects air conditioners—the leaks themselves. We’ve addressed why leaks can wreck an air conditioner and cause other problems on the way to ruin. Now we’ll take a closer look at why refrigerant leaks occur in the first place.
