Refrigerant Functions and Levels

Having the proper amount of refrigerant in your air conditioning system is critical to proper HVAC performance.  When the refrigerant level of your AC system is too high or too low, it results in poor system performance.  One good way to tell if your system is functioning properly is the formation of condensation in your indoor air handler unit.  It is typically observable coming from a 3/4" white PVC pipe as it is being drained outdoors.  Typically, this line exits the house by your outdoor condensing unit.  When your indoor coil temperature is optimal during the cooling mode, condensation is formed on the evaporator coil and is released outdoors through the aforementioned drain line.  The indoor coil behaves the same as a glass of ice water which forms condensation from the surrounding air.  This moisture in the air has a name, and is called Latent Load.  When your system is functioning properly, it not only manages the Sensible Load (found on your thermostat), it also handles that pesky old relative humidity.