Why Overcharging Is Bad News for Your Air Conditioner

Too much of a good thing can be bad. This is especially true when it comes to the refrigerant in your AC unit. Overcharging occurs when an inexperienced homeowner or HVAC technician tampers with the HVAC unit and puts in too much refrigerant. In today’s post, trusted residential HVAC services provider A-1 Comfort Care explains why this spells trouble. 

What Happens When You Overcharge Your Air Conditioner?

Ironically, the symptoms of overcharging are the same as undercharging – no cool air coming out of the vents. This happens because when there’s too much refrigerant, it doesn’t switch between the gaseous and liquid states properly. This results in inefficient or uneven cooling. 

According to HVAC installation contractors, putting in too much refrigerant also increases pressure inside the AC unit, which forces the compressor to work much harder. As you can imagine, this puts a lot of pressure on the compressor, which is one of the most important components of your entire system.

One other problem that’s frequently associated with overcharging is leaks. When refrigerant leaks into the compressor, it will mix with the oil in it, which can then lead to the compressor burning out. When this happens, you can probably kiss your air conditioner goodbye, as it’s often more practical and cost-effective to replace the entire air conditioning unit rather than to have the compressor repaired, especially if it’s an older model.

Fortunately, these problems are easily avoided. If your AC is running low on refrigerant, be sure to call for air conditioning repair services instead of opting to do it yourself. 

If you have problems with your air conditioning or heating system, give A-1 Comfort Care a call at (732) 578-0379 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free inspection with one of our skilled technicians today. We expertly serve home and business owners in Wall and Freehold, NJ, as well as the surrounding areas.