Refrigerant Services in Friendswood, TX

Salt corrosion on condenser coils can reduce heat transfer enough that your system runs continuously without reaching set temperature, even with a full refrigerant charge. If the aluminum fins are pitted, caked with salt deposits, or crumbling, the coil can't reject heat efficiently regardless of refrigerant level.

We use three methods: electronic leak detectors that sense concentrations as low as 0.1 oz/year, nitrogen pressure testing at 300-400 PSI to isolate which section is compromised, and UV dye injection for microscopic leaks. Most companies only use one method. We use all three because coastal pinhole leaks are harder to find.

No. Adding refrigerant without fixing the leak is like putting air in a tire with a nail. On the coast, the salt corrosion that caused the first leak is actively creating new ones. You'll need another recharge in weeks or months, at $50-$150/lb for R-410A or $150-$300/lb for R-22.

R-22 is phased out and increasingly expensive. If your system needs refrigerant more than once per season, replacement with a new R-410A or R-454B system is the better investment. Two R-22 recharges can cost $1,500-$6,000, money that goes further toward new equipment.

Isolated leaks can be brazed with silver solder and coated. But on coastal systems over 7-8 years old, we often find multiple corroded areas. Repairing three spots only to have new leaks open in six months isn't cost-effective. Full line replacement with corrosion-protected tubing is the smarter investment.