“I think it just needs a shot of refrigerant…”
A properly working cooling system will not just need a shot of refrigerant, as the refrigerant in the unit is never supposed to leak out. If you have a system that needs a shot of refrigerant each year, then you have a leak in your system. This leak could be in the indoor coils, the outdoor unit, or anywhere in the lineset that runs in between the two.
Each year we get calls from our Indianapolis clients telling us that their unit is an ice ball, even on the hottest days. This is generally a result of a refrigerant leak, and the unit must be completely thawed out before we can attempt to find and repair the leak. Our technicians will then be able to do a leak search on the unit to locate the leak, and depending on where the leak is make the proper repair.
Keep in mind making the repair, especially on an older unit can be very costly and may not make sense depending on the age of the system. The EPA is in the process of phasing out the older R-22 refrigerant, replacing it with the more environmental friendly R-410A. This has caused the price of R-22 to skyrocket, and HVAC contractors are paying over 400% more for refrigerant this year than even just a couple of years ago. This means that adding even a shot of refrigerant will result in a repair bill that is more costly than ever before.
If you have and air conditioning system that has a refrigerant leak, or if you would just like more information on replacing your older system, feel free to give us a call for an evaluation and estimate.
