All sorts of problems can go wrong with an air conditioning unit. One problem that you might experience with your air conditioning unit is a refrigerant leak. A home refrigerant leak can lead to high costs, damage to your air conditioning unit and all sorts of other problems, so it is an issue that you should pay attention to. A heating and air conditioning professional can provide you with more information about how to detect refrigerant leaks and other issues with your air conditioning unit, but you can start by looking out for these signs of a refrigerant leak.

There is a Strong Odor

One of the first things that many homeowners notice when their air conditioning unit has a refrigerant leak is the odor. Although the smell of a refrigerant leak isn't necessarily unpleasant, it is definitely something that you will notice. If you notice a strange, sweet odor inside your home or near your outdoor air conditioning unit, there is a good chance that it is caused by some sort of refrigerant leak. Don't ignore the odor; instead, contact an air conditioning company right away for help.

You Hear a Hissing Noise

Another thing that you might notice with your air conditioning unit is a hissing noise. Quite simply, this type of noise can occur because of the refrigerant rushing out of the hose and into the air. As soon as you notice this hissing noise, you should turn off your air conditioning unit and contact an air conditioning repair professional. Then, you can prevent additional refrigerant from leaking out into the air, and you can do what you need to do to get your unit back up and running as it should be.

Your Air Conditioning Unit Isn't Working Properly

Your home air conditioning unit needs refrigerant in order to operate like it's supposed to. Once refrigerant starts leaking from your air conditioning unit, you might find that your air conditioning unit will stop working as well as usual. It might even stop cooling your home completely; instead of blowing cool air of your vents, it might blow room-temperature or warm air. Of course, there are other things that can cause your air conditioning unit to stop working properly, but if you notice that your unit is not working as it should, this is one potential problem that could be present.

It is not abnormal for an air conditioning unit to have a refrigerant leak from time to time. If this happens, then you should not panic; instead, you should simply call an air conditioning professional to come and help you out.