Why Look For Refrigerant Leaks?

Why Look For Refrigerant Leaks?

There are three reasons to detect and repair leaks of refrigerant gases from stationary and mobile air conditioners, refrigeration systems and heat pumps:

1. Leaks allow air and moisture to enter an A/C system or chiller. Moisture can react with refrigerant to form corrosive acids and sludge that can damage a compressor, plug up orifice tubes, and/or eat pinholes in evaporators and condensers.

2. Refrigerant is expensive. It may seem cheaper to keep recharging your system with refrigerant than fix a leak—but it isn’t in the long run. And A/C systems and chillers that aren’t fully charged won’t cool efficiently and thus waste money (electricity-powered systems) or fuel (vehicle systems).

3. Most refrigerants deplete the ozone layer that blocks the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.