HVAC Contractor Air Conditioning Systems Refrigerant Rip Off

One of the more common things we see are air conditioning systems that have been overcharged with refrigerant. This common rip off is usually done when you call for a simple maintenance service and they are adding refrigerant to make money off you. I suspect that many times the homeowner complains that it just is not getting cold enough and many times this is caused by other issues such as dirty air filters, dirty outdoor condenser coil, dirty indoor blower and dirty indoor evaporator coils.

The added refrigerant above what is required simply reduces the capacity and performance of the system, homeowners should watch what the technician does and what they check, if they do not first go to the filter and check that I would kick them out of my house right then and there. They should always first check and change your filter before doing anything else as the dirty filter reduces air flow which can effect the pressure readings measured on your outdoor condensing unit. They should always check and clean your outdoor condenser coil if it is dirty and they should check to make sure your indoor system is clean.

After these basic measures are taken then the system can be evaluated for proper refrigerant levels. While it is difficult to provide you with what pressure readings you should see because each system and every outdoor air and indoor air condition/temperature has an effect on the readings as well as the fact that there are two common refrigerants in the market, R22 and R410a. The question to ask a technician is to document right on the work order what the pressure readings are and ask to see the gauges when they write this down, this calls them to the table and makes them be honest as you can easily see if incorrect numbers are written down and these readings can be checked by other technicians and companies. Make sure they also write down the numbers after they add refrigerant, and stick around and watch them. No smart technician trying to rip you off is going to document the rip off in action.

The other important thing to note is that no reputable company should add refrigerant without first looking for a leak, this can be accomplished using things as complex as an electronic sniffer or as simple as soap bubbles, they should also be looking for signs of refrigerant leaks such as oil and dirt where there should not be any oil or dirt. The important thing is that they make sure there are no leaks before they add refrigerant.