What does freon smell like from a refrigerator when it leaks?

When the refrigerator operates, a foreign odor may occur. If after checking it becomes clear that we are not talking about products, then you need to check how the cooling system works. The smell of freon in the refrigerator can create inconvenience and affect the stored products. The likely cause of the problem is a refrigerant leak. A faulty refrigerator creates discomfort for the family, so repairs must be performed as soon as possible. You need to know how to check this and what to do to solve the problem.

Where do leaks most often occur?

Regardless of the brand and model of equipment, freon most often leaks from the following components:

Leaks at solder joints. The most common case. The reason for this may be a manufacturing defect or mechanical damage during operation.

Refrigerant leak from factory soldering

In a crying evaporator. Most often, this part is made of aluminum and is susceptible to rust. Moisture that accumulates in the evaporator leads to corrosion. As a result, small cracks form, through which the volatile refrigerant escapes. In modern models, the evaporator is often foamed, which causes additional difficulties in repair. If the leak occurs in the foamed part, complex manipulations with disassembling the housing will be required.

“Crying” refrigerator evaporator

Gas has escaped from the heating circuit. This unit, due to constant contact with moisture, is prone to corrosion, which is why this happens. The likelihood of a malfunction increases as the “lifespan” of your equipment increases.

Precautions

Do not put hot or still warm food in the refrigerator.
You should not cover the shelves with anything.
Do not allow the freezer to become covered with a thick layer of frost. Ice or a layer of snow more than 5-6 mm thick impairs the operation of the refrigerator and leads to excessive energy consumption.
You should also not scrape off ice or dirt with hard, sharp objects.
There is no need to place the refrigerator near heating appliances or stoves. The minimum distance is 50 cm.
The refrigerator is not exposed to direct sunlight.

How to understand that there is a leak

The following signs may indicate a refrigerant leak:

The refrigerator does not cool well. If the release of freon has begun, insufficient cooling occurs at the first stage. In double-compressor refrigerators, the problem may occur in only one of the chambers. In single-compressor units - in all compartments.
The refrigerator does not turn off. As the amount of refrigerant in the circuit decreases, the pressure throughout the system drops. The motor, trying to make up for the deficiency, runs without turning off.
The compressor does not turn on. If a leak occurs, the equipment continues to operate using the remaining gas. After it has completely flowed out, the compressor turns off and the device no longer works.
Displaying an error code, sound signal or emergency indication. Take the instructions - in it the manufacturers indicate the decoding of all codes and signals. If the error code indicates a high temperature in the chambers, freon is most likely leaking.
External signs. You can tell whether freon has come out of the refrigerator or not by visual signs. Thus, a “snow coat” and icing of the evaporator indicate that depressurization most likely occurred in a crying evaporator. And traces of rust will indicate a leak in the heating circuit.

A snow coat on the evaporator is an indirect sign of a freon leak

Blistering of the back wall of the refrigerator. When there is a leak, gas escapes between the walls and forms a bubble. It's hard not to notice visually.

Blistering of the back wall of the refrigerator

Many users who have encountered a leak ask questions: is it possible to be poisoned by freon? How dangerous is it to be in a room where there is a leak? Will there be an explosion?

Domestic refrigerators contain a small amount of freon. This amount of gas cannot lead to fire, explosion or poisoning.

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of different types of refrigerants:

Symptoms of poisoning

In the case of chronic poisoning with freons and decay products of this substance, the symptoms of the pathology are blurred and unclear. Possible symptoms of freon poisoning include:

The acute form of freon poisoning has more pronounced manifestations:

Primary nervous and muscular excitation, which is quickly replaced by slow reactions, apathy, lethargy, depression of consciousness,
Subjective feeling of intoxication with unsteady gait and decreased coordination of movements,
Headache and dizziness,
Nausea, vomiting,

Hyperemicity and cyanosis of the skin, mucous membranes,
Difficulty breathing, decreased intensity, severe paroxysmal cough,
Increased heart rate, sharp decrease in blood pressure.

In very severe forms of poisoning and the absence of immediate treatment, pulmonary edema forms within 5-10 hours and the likelihood of death increases significantly.

Freon is the conventional technical name for a whole group of carbohydrate derivatives (including up to 20 types of halogenated alkanes), used primarily as refrigerants for a number of technically complex household and industrial structures. Poisoning with this group of substances in some cases can cause serious harm to the body.

Is freon dangerous for the human body? What does freon smell like from a refrigerator and how dangerous is it for humans? What are the symptoms of intoxication? What first aid can be provided to the victim? You will read about this and much more in our article.

Freon smell

After installing refrigeration equipment or air conditioning, many users notice an unusual odor emanating from the cooling system. Many owners believe that this is the smell of freon and begin to panic, worry about unnecessary things and look for a gas leak. Of course, the situation may seem alarming, especially if you are testing the technology for the first time. Today we will try to reassure consumers of equipment and tell us what freon smells like and how to determine its leak.

What does freon smell like from an air conditioner?

Freon is a chemical compound based on methane or ethane.

Important! The substance is a colorless gas and has no odor. Therefore, we hasten to reassure you - we do not notice the smell of freon, and to be more precise, it is not there at all.

If you are in doubt and want to determine whether a refrigerant leak has occurred, the only way to do this is by monitoring the pressure level. If the air conditioner begins to produce less cold, then contact the service department and have specialists check for leaks. In other cases, you may smell the substances that were used to control the tightness of the climate system or the smell of plastic, but we repeat, not the smell of freon.

Important! Of course, to be absolutely precise, every substance has its own smell, but it all depends on the concentration. For example, if you open a container of freon gas, you may notice a slight sweet smell. But if there is a leak from the climate system channel, you will not be able to smell this smell.

During the first hours of operation of any equipment, there is always a specific smell, since many substances used in the production of devices can evaporate and emit an unpleasant odor. Don't worry, it won't harm your health, it may only cause some temporary inconvenience.

Important! Over time, the smell of the new product will disappear, and you will calmly enjoy the comfort that the equipment will give you.

Results

Freon is an inert gas, a mixture of methane and ethane in different proportions. It is used to refill various refrigeration equipment. It is odorless and colorless, so it is impossible to detect its leak visually. If there is not enough refrigerant in the circuit, the performance of the unit will decrease.

After determining the reasons, they begin refueling, but first, you need to identify where there is a hole on the evaporator. It is very easy to detect. There will be a crust of ice or frost on the area. If the tube is broken in several places, there is no point in restoring it; buy a new evaporator - it will last longer.

Often the user is concerned with the question, how dangerous is a freon leak? At home, there is absolutely no danger, because non-toxic gas is used for refueling. Poisoning is possible when working at refrigeration plants and factories producing climate control equipment, where this gas is present in large volumes.

Video: how to properly fill a refrigerator with freon with your own hands

How to properly fill a refrigerator with freon with your own hands without a technician and without scales

Watch this video on YouTube Watch this video on YouTube

Video: refilling a household refrigerator

Refilling a household refrigerator

Watch this video on YouTube Watch this video on YouTube

Do you want to understand better than others?

How to find a freon leak in a refrigerator and how to fix it - Owners of old refrigerators know that over time the device begins to freeze worse. You have to turn up the power to maximum, and eventually change the refrigerator altogether. Guilt...
Here's how much and how you really need to store caviar in the refrigerator - Black and red varieties of caviar are valuable products, the composition of which contains a lot of microelements necessary for the body. With the help of caviar you can refine a wide…
How to rearrange the door on the refrigerator in LG refrigerators - If desired, and if you have the tools, you can rearrange the doors on LG models yourself. However, it should be remembered that re-hanging the LG refrigerator doors yourself must...
Why you need to store food in the refrigerator - Food is stored in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life, since this device creates conditions that are optimal for slowing down the development processes...
How to fill a refrigerator with freon with your own hands. Step-by-step instructions for refilling any type of refrigerator with freon - How refrigerators are refilled The operation of a refrigeration unit is based on the conversion of heat into low temperatures. Freon is a gas capable of absorbing heat from the external environment....

If the smell is still there and does not go away for a long time

If the unpleasant odor does not go away after a long time, there may be several reasons:

Air conditioner malfunctions.
The drainage system is clogged.
Incorrect installation of the air conditioner.

Important! To find out the reasons for the appearance of odor in the air conditioner, consult a specialist to eliminate any problems that have arisen.

Experts identify three main reasons for the appearance of unpleasant odors in the climate system:

Accumulation of ambient aromas in filters. Many air conditioners do not use air from the street, but cool the air in the room. As a result, odors accumulate and are released back in concentrated form. For example, if your new furniture contains a large amount of formaldehyde resins, of course the cooled air will contain them.

Important! Materials such as plastic and synthetics can also be responsible for the odor.

Mold and bacteria. If the device has not been turned on for a long time, it is possible that microorganisms have accumulated inside, because the device is an ideal environment for reproduction - it is warm and damp.
Drainage without siphon. If a siphon was not used during installation, and moisture from the air conditioner is removed not to the street, but to the sewer, then the entire smell of sewage can escape and fill your apartment.

So…

Now your refrigerator does not “smell”! Dear Clean! Surely your refrigerator is now sparkling clean, because you have tips from “Chistyuli” in your hands!
I want to be proud of a clean refrigerator filled with delicious aromas. When you open the door, look proudly at the guests: this is what kind of hostess I am! Source

Share useful information with your friends:

How to deal with the problem of air conditioner odor?

To combat the odor problem, you need to clean your air conditioner. All cleaning methods come down to the following steps:

Wash away all dirt and mold.
Disinfect all parts.
Thoroughly dry all elements of the climate system.

Important! To disinfect the air conditioner, purchase special products. Usually they need to be sprayed where the device takes in air for cooling. Drops of the solution along with the air flow will penetrate the drainage system and destroy fungus and bacteria. Sometimes this is enough to completely get rid of the smell from the air conditioner.

Freon smell in refrigerator

In the refrigerator, freon is placed in the evaporator and performs the function of cooling the refrigerator compartment. Modern units use freon R600a and R134a.

Important! To find out what freon your device runs on, turn the refrigerator around and look at the sticker on the motor. It should indicate the type of refrigerant.

Any specialist will tell you that you will never smell freon in the refrigerator, since the gas has no odor.

Important! The only exception to the rule is freon R12, which has a sweetish odor similar to the smell of chloroform. But currently this gas is not used in household refrigeration devices. Moreover, since 2010, the production of devices with this type of freon has been prohibited. Therefore, such a refrigerant can only be found in old Soviet models, if, of course, they still work.

Since the smell of freon in the refrigerator is not noticeable, its leak can be determined by the following signs:

The temperature in the refrigerator is elevated.
Perishable products have lost their marketable appearance.
A puddle of water under the refrigerator.

Important! You cannot repair the unit yourself, so seek help from specialists.

Application

The most well-known industries for using freon are the production of refrigerators and air conditioners. The range of its application is very wide:

Included in aerosols and sprays in the cosmetic and medical industries.
Used as a foaming agent in gas cylinders.
In fire extinguishing agents (for example, gas fire extinguishers).
In building materials, in the manufacture of polyurethane foam, paints and varnishes.

What does the refrigerator smell like?

We have found that your concerns about the smell of freon are unfounded, which means you need to look for the cause elsewhere.

Causes of odor in the refrigerator:

Smell of plastic in the new unit.
Stale or improperly stored food.
Dirt and bacteria.
Blockage in the drainage system.
Dirty deodorizer. Modern models of devices include a bio-deodorizer that absorbs odors and may have antibacterial properties. Perhaps this element does not cope with its function, as it needs cleaning. For information on how to carry out this procedure, read the instructions for the device.

Tips from "Chistyuli"

When packing food in plastic, make sure there is no condensation on it. Condensation flows down unnoticed and dries on the shelves, causing an odor.
When installing the unit on a permanent residence, make sure that there is about 5 cm of free space around it. This is necessary for ventilation and cooling of the compressor.
If you have a heated floor at home, place the refrigerator where there are no heating pipes.
Regularly remove dust and dirt from the back wall of the refrigerator.
When choosing a “white friend” in a store, pay attention to the volume of the unit: