Q: Is it possible for an HVAC technician to overfill an air-conditioning system with too much refrigerant (my system uses R-22)? For example, if the system needs two pounds, is it possible for the technician to force in, say, three or four pounds? If so, can this damage the A/C system or cause it to malfunction and stop cooling? My technician said my unit, which wasn't cooling well, was low and added six pounds at $100 per pound. I later learned it holds only six pounds of refrigerant. Just two days later, it stopped cooling well again.A: It is possible to overfill an air conditioner with refrigerant and, unfortunately, several problems can occur that could permanently damage the unit.To start, an overcharged air conditioning system will decrease both its efficiency and capacity to cool. As one highly rated heating and cooling technician on Angie's List said, it would be the equivalent of a 3-ton system operating at the capacity of a 2-ton system. When cooling demand is at its highest, the system likely won't be able to meet it.

Depending on how overcharged the system is, it's possible that it will stop cooling altogether.Another side effect is the potential to increase the temperature of the indoor coil, reducing the dehumidification of the indoor air; an important benefit of conditioned air. The air in your home will likely feel sticky or muggy as a result.The potential for the greatest amount of damage, though, is to the compressor. Overcharging the unit can cause permanent failure of the compressor, which is the pump for the refrigerant. Replacing the compressor can actually cost more than replacing the entire outdoor unit.Some air conditioner systems have an automatic shut-off if the internal circuitry determines the system has been overcharged, which could help minimize the damage. When this happens, though, the system will power down and must be reset and the overcharged refrigerant removed before it will power back on. So expect to still require the services of a technician if your system does automatically shut off.

The larger question here is why your technician added so much refrigerant to begin with. First off, if the technician suspected a leak, he or she should have performed a leak test before adding any R-22. one ac unit 2 story houseAs you likely know, the cost of R-22 refrigerant is rising quickly as it's in the midst of a federally mandated phase-out because of its ozone-depleting properties. air conditioning unit does not turn onHomeowners are paying three and four times the cost of R-22 than they were just a few years ago. hvac outside unit freezing upNo longer is it financially feasible — or environmentally responsible -—to simply ignore a leaking unit and recharge it with more refrigerant.It's possible that you simply had an under- or untrained technician who made a mistake, or it could be that the technician oversold you more refrigerant than you needed.

I recommend you reach out to the owner of the company you worked with and discuss your concerns.Central air conditioners are “split systems”, which means they consist of an outdoor (condensing) unit and an indoor (evaporator) unit. Both components are necessary for a working system. The air conditioner is designed to transport heat out of your home using a refrigerant. Air from your home passes through an indoor coil mounted in your furnace. Heat is absorbed from the indoor air and the resulting cooler air is then circulated back into your home through your duct system. The heat from your home is extracted and released through the outdoor coil. While it’s keeping you cool, your air conditioner also is effective at removing humidity from your indoor air. The process is similar to moisture condensing on the outside of a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day. If you install a new outdoor unit, be sure to include a new, equally efficient “matched” indoor coil. Using an existing “old” indoor coil may save you money up front, but won’t give you the best value.

Although it may still work, it will not perform as efficiently and over time will cost you more money. Also, if the components aren’t matched, additional stress on your cooling system may shorten the life of your equipment. Hovland’s and Lennox have a reputation for quality and reliability that can save you headaches and extra expense down the road. Lennox is recognized in the industry for its state-of-the-art research and development laboratories and is certified as an official test site for the American Gas Association. Lennox product continuously undergoes extensive lifecycle and field-testing procedures to insure manufacturing excellence. Almost every Lennox air conditioner we sell includes a 5 or 10-Year Limited Lifetime Warranty on the compressor (primary component of the outdoor unit) and a minimum 5-Year Limited Warranty on parts. Hovland’s is pleased to offer dependable and efficient products from Lennox. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is the method used to rate the efficiency of your air conditioner.

The higher the SEER the more efficient it is. Every SEER represents approximately 6% savings on your electrical usage. So when you upgrade from a 10 to a 14 SEER unit you can save up to an additional 23% on your electrical usage. In January 2006 the U.S. Government increased the minimum SEER rating to 13. With this in mind, customers should determine if the cost of upgrading versus the savings anticipated makes sense for their situation. In most applications, it does! If your existing unit is still functional and the time value of money is considered, most often retaining your existing equipment is more cost effective than proactively replacing it. However, regular maintenance should be performed to keep your unit operating as efficiently as possible. Hovland’s offers a full line of Lennox air conditioning equipment that uses the chlorine-free R410a refrigerant. This refrigerant meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newest, most stringent environmental guidelines.

For more than four decades a refrigerant known as R-22 has been used almost exclusively in residential air conditioning systems. R-22 is an HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon), which contains ozone-depleting chlorine. It is also a greenhouse gas and the manufacturing process results in a by-product (HFC-23) that contributes significantly to global warming. The production of R-22 is being phased out over the coming years as part of an international agreement to end production of HCFCs. As a result, manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems are now offering equipment that uses a newer R410a refrigerant – a more environmentally-friendly alternative to R-22. There are two significant dates that will impact the availability of R-22 in the future: It is important to note that existing units using R-22 can continue to be serviced with R-22. There is no EPA requirement to replace units or convert R-22 units for use with a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant. Therefore, if a leak develops in your R-22 system, after repairing the leak our technicians will continue to charge R-22 into the system.

Although R-22 can no longer be produced after 2020, it is expected to be available for the next 15 years or more from remaining supplies, reclamation and recycling. It is reasonable to expect however, that the price of R-22 may increase as supplies dwindle over the next 20-30 years. Usually, the higher the efficiency, the more expensive the inital cost of the unit. Since we live in the Midwest where our cooling demand is considerably lower than in southern states, it is sometimes difficult to justify the higher cost of the most efficient air conditioners on the market. The incremental cost will take longer to recover since the energy savings are only recognized during the summer months. It is important to consider however, that air conditioning units typically last longer in our area, because they are only used during limited months during the year. Over the life of the unit, energy savings from a more efficient unit can be significant. The professionals at Hovland’s will be happy to recommend an air conditioning unit that will provide the best value for our climate.