Your air conditioning system relies on pressurized refrigerant to transfer heat from the inside of your home to the outside. Most residential and commercial air conditioning systems now run on R-410A. A type of hydrocarbon, R-410 is a chemical-based refrigerant that absorbs heat. But it will only work if it’s pressurized. Keep reading to learn more about a specific type of pressure in air conditioning systems known as discharge pressure.

Overview of Discharge Pressure

Discharge pressure is the pressure of the refrigerant in an air conditioning system as it leaves the compressor. The compressor’s job is to squeeze and pressurize the refrigerant. During this process, the refrigerant will become hotter.

The super-hot refrigerant will travel from the compressor to the condenser coil. With the help of a motorized fan, the condenser coil will release the refrigerant’s heat. Regardless, discharge pressure is a measurement of how pressurized the refrigerant is as it leaves the compressor and heads to the condenser coil. Suction pressure, in comparison, is a measurement of how pressurized the refrigerant is as it leaves the evaporator coil and heads to the compressor.

Discharge Pressure vs Static Pressure

You may hear the term “static pressure” used to describe heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems as well. Static pressure isn’t the same as discharge pressure. They are two different pressure-related measurements used in the HVAC industry.

Static pressure involves airflow, whereas discharge pressure involves refrigerant. More specifically, static pressure is resistance to airflow in the ductwork. Some HVAC systems have higher static pressure than others, resulting in greater airflow resistance. Discharge pressure is simply the pressure of the refrigerant after being compressed and pressurized by the compressor.

Why Discharge Pressure Is Important

Your air conditioning system’s discharge pressure will directly affect its ability to cool your home. The refrigerant must be properly pressurized as it leaves the compressor. If the pressure of the refrigerant is too low, it won’t be hot enough to effectively release heat. Therefore, you can expect poor cooling performance when running your air conditioning system.

An excessively low discharge pressure may indicate a leak. Air conditioning systems and their respective components can leak. When a breach occurs, refrigerant may leak out of the compromised component. Over time, this can result in low discharge pressure. There won’t be enough refrigerant in your air conditioning system, so the compressor won’t be able to fully pressurize it.