Method and apparatus for risk reduction during refrigerant leak

1. A method of monitoring a refrigerant leak, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a first controller, operation of a first heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for conditioning air within a first level of a residence;

monitoring, by a second controller, operation of a second HVAC system for conditioning air within a second level of the residence;

determining, using a plurality of leak detectors, that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking;

responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking, receiving, by the first controller, a refrigerant leak warning signal;

forwarding, by the first controller to the second controller, the refrigerant leak warning signal;

responsive to receiving the refrigerant leak warning signal from the first controller, activating, by the second controller, a variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system;

determining that the leaked refrigerant has not dispersed after activating the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system; and

responsive to the determination that the leaked refrigerant has not dispersed, activating a plurality of ceiling fans and a plurality of exhaust fans to disperse the leaked refrigerant.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is not leaking, returning to the monitoring step.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the leaked refrigerant has dispersed, operating the first and second HVAC systems in a normal mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking, forwarding a refrigerant leak warning signal to a plurality of smoke detectors to notify users of the refrigerant leak.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of leak detectors are positioned around a variable-speed circulation fan of the first HVAC system and the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of leak detectors comprises at least one of a corona discharge leak detector, a heated diode leak detector, and an ultrasonic leak detector.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second controllers are configured to communicate with the plurality of leak detectors wirelessly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second controllers are configured to communicate with the plurality of leak detectors using a cable connection.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a refrigerant level is below a refrigerant threshold level;

responsive to a determination that the refrigerant level is below the refrigerant threshold level, returning to the monitoring step; and

responsive to a determination that the refrigerant level is not below the refrigerant threshold level, operating the first and second HVAC systems in a normal mode.

10. A system comprising:

a first heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for conditioning air within a first level of a residence;

a second HVAC system for conditioning air within a second level of the residence;

a first plurality of leak detectors associated with at least one component of the first HVAC system;

a second plurality of leak detectors associated with at least one component of the second HVAC system;

a first controller configured to communicate with the first plurality of leak detectors;

a second controller configured to communicate with the second plurality of leak detectors;

wherein the first plurality of leak detectors are configured to:

determine whether refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking;

responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking, forward to the first controller a refrigerant leak warning signal;

upon receiving the refrigerant leak warning signal, the first controller forwards the refrigerant leak warning signal to the second controller, wherein the second controller activates a variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system responsive to the refrigerant leak detected in the first HVAC system; wherein at least one of the first and second controllers is configured to:

determine whether the leaked refrigerant has dispersed after activating the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system; and

responsive to a determination that the leaked refrigerant has not dispersed, activate a plurality of ceiling fans and a plurality of exhaust fans to disperse the leaked refrigerant.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein responsive to a determination that the leaked refrigerant has dispersed, operate the first and second HVAC systems in a normal mode.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking, the first HVAC system causes the first controller to forward a refrigerant leak warning signal to a plurality of smoke detectors to notify users of the refrigerant leak.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the first plurality of leak detectors are positioned around a variable-speed circulation fan of the first HVAC system; and

the second plurality of leak detectors are positioned around the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second plurality of leak detectors comprise at least one of a corona discharge leak detector, a heated diode leak detector, and an ultrasonic leak detector.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the first plurality of leak detectors wirelessly.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the first plurality of leak detectors using a cable connection.

17. A method of monitoring a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for refrigerant leak, the method comprising:

monitoring operation of the plurality of HVAC systems, wherein the plurality of HVAC systems comprise a first HVAC system comprising a first controller for conditioning air within a first level of a residence and a second HVAC system comprising a second controller for conditioning air within a second level of the residence;

determining, using a plurality of leak detectors, that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking;

responsive to a determination that refrigerant within the first HVAC system is leaking, receiving, by the first controller, a refrigerant leak warning signal;

forwarding, by the first controller to the second controller, the refrigerant leak warning signal;

responsive to receiving the refrigerant leak warning signal from the first controller, activating, by the second controller, a variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system;

determining that the leaked refrigerant has not dispersed after activating the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system;

responsive to the determination that the leaked refrigerant has not dispersed, the first controller modifies operation of communication devices by:

activating a plurality of ceiling fans;

activating a plurality of exhaust fans; and

forwarding a refrigerant leak warning signal to a plurality of smoke detectors to notify users of the refrigerant leak.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of leak detectors are positioned around a variable-speed circulation fan of the first HVAC system and the variable-speed circulation fan of the second HVAC system.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of leak detectors comprises at least one of a corona discharge leak detector, a heated diode leak detector, and an ultrasonic leak detector.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second controllers are configured to communicate with the plurality of leak detectors wirelessly.