Service Overview
- Average Cost: KES 3,000 – 8,000 for leak detection service
- Detection Time: 1-3 hours depending on leak location
- Detection Methods: Electronic leak detectors, UV dye, nitrogen pressure test, soap solution
- Repair Cost: Additional KES 2,000 – 15,000 depending on leak location and severity
- Follow-up: Recharge required after repair, costing KES 3,000 – 10,000
Refrigerant leaks represent one of the most common yet problematic issues affecting air conditioner performance. Unlike simple mechanical failures, leaks can occur at numerous points throughout the sealed refrigeration system, and finding tiny leaks in feet of copper tubing and various fittings requires systematic detective work using specialized tools and techniques.
Understanding Refrigerant Leaks
Refrigerant circulates through your air conditioner in a closed loop, absorbing heat from indoor air and releasing it outdoors. This system operates under significant pressure, with refrigerant existing as both liquid and gas at different points in the cycle. Any breach in this sealed system, no matter how small, allows refrigerant to escape while potentially letting air and moisture enter, compromising system performance and potentially causing serious damage.
Leaks develop from various causes. Vibration from normal operation can work fittings loose over time or create tiny fractures in copper tubing, especially at joints and bends where stress concentrates. Corrosion from formaldehyde in building materials, industrial pollutants, or coastal salt air eats through copper tubing from the outside. Poor installation practices like inadequately brazed joints create weak points that develop leaks months or years later. Physical damage from renovation work, lawn equipment, or weather events can puncture refrigerant lines.
Symptoms Indicating Refrigerant Leaks
Air conditioners with refrigerant leaks exhibit characteristic symptoms that distinguish them from other cooling problems. The most obvious sign is reduced cooling capacity where the unit runs continuously but fails to reach the set temperature or takes much longer than normal to cool your space. Ice formation on indoor coil lines, despite warm outdoor temperatures, indicates low refrigerant levels affecting the pressure-temperature relationship in the evaporator.
Higher electricity bills appear as the system works harder and runs longer attempting to achieve cooling with insufficient refrigerant. Hissing or bubbling sounds near refrigerant lines suggest active leaking at specific locations. The compressor may cycle on and off more frequently or run abnormally hot. In severe cases with significant refrigerant loss, the compressor may refuse to start as safety controls prevent operation with dangerously low pressure.
Detection Methods and Tools
Professional leak detection employs multiple methods, often in combination, to locate even the smallest leaks. Electronic leak detectors use sensors that identify refrigerant molecules in the air, triggering audible alerts when the probe passes near a leak. These devices detect leaks as small as a few grams per year and work with most refrigerant types. Technicians methodically probe along all refrigerant lines, joints, valve connections, and coil sections, listening for the detector’s response to leak presence.
UV dye detection involves injecting fluorescent dye into the refrigerant system, allowing it to circulate, then using UV lights to find leaked dye deposits marking leak locations. This method excels at finding tiny leaks that produce minimal refrigerant release, as even small amounts of escaped dye glow brightly under UV light. The dye remains in the system permanently, allowing future leak detection without reinjection.
Nitrogen pressure testing provides definitive leak detection when electronic methods prove inconclusive. Technicians recover all refrigerant, evacuate the system, then pressurize it with nitrogen gas to pressures higher than normal operating levels. If pressure drops over time, a leak exists. Soap solution applied to suspected areas creates bubbles at leak points when the system is pressurized, visually confirming leak locations.
The Detection Process
Systematic leak detection begins with confirming that low refrigerant is actually the problem rather than other issues like dirty coils or airflow restrictions. Technicians measure system pressures and temperatures, comparing them to specifications for your unit’s refrigerant type and ambient conditions. If readings indicate low refrigerant charge, leak detection commences.
The search typically starts at the most common leak points: service port connections, valve stems, brazed joints at evaporator and condenser coils, and refrigerant line connections. These locations experience the most stress and account for the majority of leaks. If initial inspection finds no obvious leaks, technicians work systematically through the entire refrigerant circuit, testing every accessible joint and length of exposed tubing.
Indoor coil leaks present special challenges since coils sit inside air handlers with limited access. Technicians must remove panels and sometimes temporarily disconnect ductwork to thoroughly examine coil surfaces. Outdoor condenser coils face environmental exposure that accelerates corrosion, requiring careful inspection of the entire coil surface, particularly along the bottom where moisture accumulates.
Repair Considerations
Once located, leak severity and accessibility determine repair approaches. Small leaks at accessible joints or connections can often be repaired by tightening fittings, replacing valve cores, or rebrazingfaulty joints. These repairs are relatively straightforward and economical. Leaks in the middle of long refrigerant line runs may require cutting out the damaged section and brazing in new tubing, a more labor-intensive process.
Coil leaks present difficult decisions. Small leaks in accessible coil sections can sometimes be repaired, though coil repair reliability varies. Many technicians recommend coil replacement rather than repair since coils with one leak often develop additional leaks shortly after, particularly in older units where corrosion has weakened the entire coil. Replacement costs vary widely based on coil type and location, with evaporator coil replacement being more expensive due to indoor installation complexity.
Multiple leak points or widespread corrosion often make repair uneconomical. If repair costs approach 50% of replacement cost for an aging unit, investing in a new efficient system typically makes better financial sense than extensive repairs on compromised equipment.
Prevention and Maintenance
While some leak causes are unavoidable, proper maintenance reduces leak probability. Annual professional servicing includes visual inspection of all accessible refrigerant lines and connections, catching developing problems before they become serious. Maintaining proper system cleanliness prevents acid formation inside the refrigeration circuit that corrodes components from within. Protecting outdoor units from physical damage and corrosive environments extends component life.
Installing units in properly ventilated locations reduces moisture exposure that accelerates corrosion. Using quality installation practices with proper brazing techniques and secure mounting prevents stress-related failures. For coastal or industrial environments with high corrosion potential, specialized coatings and corrosion-resistant materials provide extra protection.
After leak repairs, technicians must properly evacuate the system to remove any air and moisture that entered through the leak, then recharge with the exact specified refrigerant amount. Under or overcharging causes inefficiency and potential damage. Finally, they should apply soap solution to repair areas while the system runs, visually confirming no new leaks before completing the job.
