Freon

Freon is the cooling agent used in most air conditioning systems. Every air conditioning system needs a refrigerant (also called a coolant) that actually creates the cool air -- that's the role of Freon.

As necessary as Freon is to the optimal performance of your your air conditioner, you do not want to handle a potential Freon problem yourself. If you do believe your air conditioner's refrigerant lines might need recharging, call a professional to do it. In fact, it's probably a good idea to call a professional to inspect your air conditioning system just before the beginning of each cooling season. There are very few air conditioning repairs you can handle yourself, so it makes sense to bring in a professional to give your AC a check-up before you need it to do any serious cooling (in the hottest summer months).