How Long Does Central Air Conditioning Refrigerant Last?

As the weather gets warmer, the need for air conditioning is becoming an absolute necessity to stay comfortable at all times. To ensure that you’re always cool, it is necessary to properly maintain your HVAC system. Your system will need to be inspected, tuned up, and parts will need to be replaced. One thing that many homeowners wonder is how long their central AC refrigerant will last. Here is an overview, which explains the answer to this common question.

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How Long Does Refrigerant Last?

In most cases, refrigerant in a central air conditioning should last for the life of the system. As long as your HVAC system is kept in good working order, you should never have to worry about replenishing it. Central air conditioning systems are sealed, which prevents any coolant from escaping. The refrigerant is simply reused over and over again.

Refrigerant Leaks

In other cases, the amount of time your AC coolant will last depends on various factors. First of all, if your HVAC system has not been inspected and isn’t in good condition, it could develop a leak. If a leak is present, the refrigerant will simply leak out as soon as it is replaced. So, the coolant will last no more than a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity of the leak. There may also be more than one leak, which could cause the refrigerant to disappear sooner.

As your system ages, leaks become almost inevitable, unless you’re meticulous about upkeep. The sooner potential leaks are found, the less money you’ll lose replenishing coolant. However, when you fail to have an HVAC professional find and repair your leak and you simply add more coolant instead, you will quickly lose money. This is because the system’s coolant will become depleted in a short period of time.

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How To Prevent Leaks

There are ways to prevent leaks in your system. Aside from having it inspected and serviced every year, there are other precautions to take. One is to enclose your unit inside a fence. This will keep animals away from the unit, as animals could cause damage. It is especially important to keep dogs away from your unit, because if they urinate on or near the unit, damage could ensue. Dog urine is acidic and could potentially disintegrate the coils of your AC unit. This situation leads to leaks and other potentially costly damage.

Another way to prevent, or at least minimize leaks, is to invest in a unit with aluminum coils as opposed to copper. Extensive research has been performed on the longevity of both materials. It was discovered that aluminum has the ability to withstand the corrosion that can occur as a result of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is present in HVAC systems. On the other hand, copper corrodes much faster. Corrosion can wreak havoc on your unit, and of course the more corrosion that is present, the more holes you will have. The more holes you will have, the more the coolant will leak out, preventing your system from properly cooling your home or office.

 

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Not everyone can afford to upgrade their AC systems if their current system has copper or may have leaks. Yet, as long as you properly care for your system, you can drastically decrease your chances of ever having to replenish your refrigerant. This means you need to have your air conditioner serviced by an AC professional every spring. Central air conditioning system refrigerant is supposed to last for the lifetime of the system. Therefore, keeping your unit in tip-top condition will ensure that you will never have to waste money replacing lost refrigerant.

Skylands Energy offers affordable and trusted air conditioner services including tune-ups, air conditioning repairs, and other HVAC services. Be sure to contact us today to speak with one of our specialists.

We service Bound Brook NJ 08805, Bridgewater NJ 08807, Flagtown NJ 08821, Hillsborough NJ 08844, Manville NJ 08835, Martinsville NJ 08836, Middlesex NJ 08846, Pluckemin NJ 07978, Raritan NJ 08869, Somerville NJ 08876, South Bound Brook NJ 08880, Zarephath NJ 08890, and surrounding areas.

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