Refrigerant Leak 101: Are Your Coolers Safe?
When you operate a facility that depends heavily on a cooler system, you need to be sure that those coolers are maintaining their refrigerant levels and are free of leaks. Understanding the signs of a leak and knowing the most common sources of those leaks can help you to keep your coolers, as well as the products stored in them, in great condition. Here are some of the things that you should know.
Signs Of A Refrigerant Leak
Having the ability to recognize a refrigerant leak is important because it allows you to seek repairs right away rather than having to wait for the cooler to fail completely. These are some tell-tale signs of refrigerant leaks that you should always be attentive to.
The motor on your coolers should only run when necessary to maintain the temperature inside the unit. If the refrigerant is low due to a leak, the motor will have to run more, sometimes constantly, to keep things cold. Since you can hear the motor, this is often one of the first things that many people notice when there's a problem with the refrigerant levels. When you hear the cooler's motor running a lot more than it used to, there may be a refrigerant leak that needs to be addressed.
In addition, you may start to notice a musty odor around the area where your coolers are installed. Refrigerant can produce this type of odor when it is leaking out into the air. The more noticeable the odor, the more refrigerant there is in the air around the units.
The refrigerant in the cooler system can be hazardous to your health. For those who are working prolonged hours in the area immediately around the cooler, that can often mean increased illnesses and time lost from work. Recurring headaches, nausea, and similar feelings among the staff who work around the coolers should be a warning to you that there could be refrigerant leaking.
Frequent Causes Of Refrigerant Leaks
Your cooler's refrigerant system relies on a bunch of fittings, tubes, and hoses to circulate that refrigerant. Any failed component in that system can lead to refrigerant leaks.
For example, the first thing you should check is all of the fittings on the system. If a fitting has been damaged or has failed, refrigerant could be seeping out around it. Make sure all of the fittings are in good condition and are secured tightly on the lines. If you have any concerns about any of them, it's best to have those fittings replaced by a professional to ensure their stability.
You should also examine all of the lines and hoses that support the system. A cracked or punctured hose means that refrigerant is seeping out as it passes through that line. You'll need to replace it right away to stop the leak. If you have to replace a line, it's often a good idea to install new fittings on that line at the same time. That way, you reduce the risk of any subsequent failure in that section since fittings are a common source of leaks as well.
For more information, contact a refrigerant fitting supplier.