The thing that you need to know about household appliances that are used to cool things is that they use freon, which is a gas that is often used as a refrigerant for things such as refrigerators and air conditions, of course. While freon moves through the entire air conditioner or AC throughout the AC’s lifetime, you may be wondering if this lasts forever. So, how long does it take for freon to dissipate out of the AC?
Freon will last indefinitely in your AC as it shouldn’t dissipate as long as the air conditioner doesn’t have leaks in it. This is why some air conditioners last for decades. However, the freon will definitely have a finite lifetime in your AC if the air conditioner is leaking the freon through a hole or a crack.
It is indeed true that, if you take care of things, they will last for a very long time. The saying holds true for your air conditioner because, as long as it is well-maintained and doesn’t have any leaks or damages in it, the freon that it uses as a refrigerant will last for as long as an entire lifetime. This is why it is necessary to be aware of any damages to your AC as soon as possible.
Will Freon Last Indefinitely In Your AC?
When it comes to your air conditioner, one of the things that you need to know is that they are able to produce cool air thanks to a refrigerant called freon. This refrigerant we call freon is actually a gaseous substance that is found in almost any kind of household appliance that produces cool air. Your refrigerator is a good example.
The way your AC or your refrigerator uses freon is actually amazing. What happens here is that the freon that is contained in the AC is actually moved through the entire appliance. As it moves through the air conditioner, freon allows the coils to warm down as they are able to absorb heat due to the freon. Freon is also transformed from its gaseous form to a liquid as it moves throughout the entire AC.
So, the fact that freon is constantly used by your air conditioner might make you wonder if this gas actually has a limited lifespan. After all, when your AC runs out of freon, the entire machine will lose the refrigerant that allows it to function the way it functions. That said, will the freon in your AC last forever or does it have a limited lifespan?
The truth is that the freon found in air conditioners and refrigerators is supposed to last forever. That means that they have an indefinite lifespan that is supposed to last for as long as the entire air conditioner should. In fact, some air conditioners actually end up lasting for decades without the freon running out.
In that regard, the reason why freon is supposed to last forever is that this refrigerant isn’t used in the same way that the fuel in your car is used. That means that freon is not burned as the air conditioner is functioning. Instead, the AC merely cycles the freon throughout the entire AC as it is transformed from its gaseous form into a liquid, which will then be cycled once again until it evaporates back into its gaseous form.
So, as long as your AC is working fine and is well-maintained, the freon in it will last for as long as possible. It will not run out and may even outlive the entire air conditioner. As such, it will not dissipate during the normal course of an air conditioner’s functions.
Why Is Your AC Low On Freon If Freon Is Supposed To Last Forever?
If freon is supposed to last forever, then why are there instances when your AC ends up running out of this gas? Why is it that some air conditioners actually lose freon despite the fact that it should be cycled over and over again?
The reason why your AC may end up running low on freon is due to how your AC might be leaking it. These leaks can happen through holes and damages in your air conditioner. So, if you have a damaged air conditioner, it will be natural for the freon to begin leaking out of it until it runs out.
Then again, there is no definite timetable as to how long the freon will dissipate if your AC has a leak. That depends entirely on how serious the leak is and on how long the air conditioner has been leaking. But the fact of the matter is that a leaking AC will most definitely run out of freon.
There are even times when the AC becomes replaceable or obsolete due to how it ran out of freon (although it is possible to refill the AC with freon). Nevertheless, if the freon in your air conditioner actually leaks out due to a hole or damage, the most prudent thing you can do is to have a repairman look at your AC so that the damage can be remedied as quickly as possible before it becomes too late to actually salvage the entire air conditioner.
How To Know If Your AC Is Low On Freon
So, how would you know if your freon is actually running low? Here are some signs to look out for:
- Your electric bills start to skyrocket due to the very fact that the AC has to work harder to produce cool air due to the lack of freon.
- There will be times when the air conditioner will blow out warm or room temperature air due to the lack of refrigerant that will allow it to produce cool air.
- The air conditioner will begin to condensate more in the sense that it will leak more water than it should. This is due to how the coils are getting frozen due to the lack of freon that will allow them to absorb heat.
- Your AC’s coils freeze from time to time. The reason for this is due to how the coils use freon to absorb heat. When the freon is low, your AC’s coils will struggle to absorb heat and will eventually freeze faster.