Furnace Freon Leak

How Heat Pumps Work

• A heat pump, often incorrectly called a furnace, uses refrigerant for both heating and cooling. While there are a variety of heat pumps available, a typical unit will provide heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. In essence, a heat pump is an air conditioner and heater that runs in one direction to create cool air and the opposite direction to create warmth. For air conditioning, the unit outside the home acts as a compressor and the unit inside the house acts as the evaporator. The unit absorbs heat from inside the house in the evaporator and vents it outside in the condenser while sending cold refrigerant into the home. In winter, the process reverses and the refrigerant absorbs outside heat -- even in very cold weather -- sending it into the home. The outside compressor becomes the evaporator and vents cool air and the indoor evaporator becomes the condenser where the heat is distributed by the air handler, or blower, around the home.

Furnace Leaks

• Furnaces do not have refrigerant, but there are often refrigerant lines nearby if you have central air conditioning. The location to examine is the evaporator, housed above or adjacent to the furnace air handler. The evaporator is the unit that cools the air, which moves to the house via the air handler. Freon within this unit is liquid as it enters, but turns to gas as it absorbs heat from the house while exchanging the cold temperatures. A leak within the coil of the evaporator could allow Freon to leak.

Leak Detection

• Liquid in form, leaking refrigerant has a greasy feel but little to no smell. Leaks are difficult to pinpoint because the refrigerant evaporates rapidly. Do not mistake condensation from the evaporator as leaking refrigerant, this is merely water, absorbed from the air and drained away, often near the base of the heat pump. The best leak detection is done by a heating/AC professional using a sniffer device. The device can pinpoint a leak and help determine the best course of action.

Repair

• Leaking refrigerant is considered an environmental hazard and can only be attended to by a licensed professional. Once pinpointed, a small leak can be stopped by the addition of a sealant to the refrigeration line. The sealant seeks out minor holes and blocks the refrigerant from escaping. Larger leaks may require pipes to be replaced and several pounds of new refrigerant reintroduced into the system.