Do Residential AC Units Need Freon?

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In order to cool your home, most residential air conditioners rely on a refrigerant known as freon. How does it work? Well, the freon is compressed by the AC compressor, which causes the freon to get very hot. The freon then moves through coils that cool it back down into a liquid state. Evaporators then convert the freon into a low-pressure gas that works to cool the air in your home. This evaporation process occurs over and over again in order to allow cool air to flow through your home.

While freon is a significant part of how your residential ac functions, it is not something you have to worry about refilling or changing. Once the residential air conditioning unit is installed, it does not ever need additional freon to function. The substance is able to undergo the evaporation process repeatedly without depleting.

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That being said, if there is ever an issue with the air conditioning that involves any leaking of the freon, you will need to replace it. It’s not always obvious when the freon is leaking. Some signs to look out for include icy refrigerant lines, a frozen evaporator coil, warm air coming from the vents in your home, or unusually high utility bills.