Refrigerant Services in Galveston, 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.