Aircon gas leak? How to tell and how much to solve this issue.

Introduction to Aircon Gas Leak

 

Are you wondering if you are experiencing an Aircon gas leak? Are you suddenly feeling that your Aircon is not cold anymore? Well, the truth is there could be a possibility that your Aircon gas is leaking. Do you know that an Aircon gas leak could be more troublesome than your Aircon compressor failing? If your Aircon gas is leaking, it could be leaking from the compressor unit. It could also be leaking from the Aircon piping, or from the fan coil unit itself. How do you know which part of your Aircon system is leaking gas? Find out more in this article below.

How to know if your Aircon Gas is Leaking

 

The truth is, you can never know that you have an Aircon gas leak just by doing a surface check or even an Aircon gas top up. But Before we delve into this topic. Let us first establish a few information about your Aircon first, before we can make any accurate diagnostic

 

Is your Aircon totally not cold or is there not much wind blowing out?

 

Firstly, let us try to figure out if your Aircon is totally not cold or is it simply a case of wind not blowing out smoothly. If the Aircon wind is not blowing out smoothly. It could be time for Aircon servicing. You might be in need of an Aircon chemical overhaul to get the Air to be blowing out smoothly again. However, if you totally don’t feel any coolness coming out from the fancoil. It could be that the compressor is malfunctioning or your Aircon gas is leaking.

 

Is your Aircon inverter or non inverter?

 

Next, we would want to figure out if your Aircon unit is inverter or non inverter. You might be thinking, why does it matter? Well we will explain in the paragraph below. To identify if your Aircon is inverter or not, you can do a google search of the Aircon model online. Otherwise, you can also look at the fan coil unit itself. Most of the time, an inverter aircon will have the word ” inverter”, written on the fan coil unit itself.

 

How many of your Aircon units are not cold?

This is very related to the point above. If your Aircon unit is inverter, but only one of the Aircon is totally not cold. Your Aircon gas is probably not leaking. This is because if it’s leaking, all of your Aircon units will not be cold. If just one of the unit is not cold, you might have to WhatsApp us to do a check for you. However if it is non inverter Aircon, it could be a lot more troublesome to tell. Most of the non inverter Aircon unit has 2 compressor in them. So for those condenser unit that have 2 compressor in them. If the fan coil that is totally not cold is connected to the bigger compressor, your Aircon gas pipe is ok.

Did it gradually lose its coldness or did it happen all of a sudden?

This is another way to tell if it could be that you have an Aircon gas leak. So if your Aircon slowly loses its coolness over a period of time. And you can feel that every single day it’s getting less and less cold. It could be that you have an Aircon gas leak. However if it happens all of a sudden. It could be that your Aircon compressor is malfunctioning. Nevertheless, it could also be that your Aircon suddenly experience a major gas leak. The easiest way to know is to get us to come over and check on this.

 

Did you just do a fan coil replacement or chemical overhaul recently?

 

If you just did an Aircon chemical overhaul or you just replace your indoor unit. And you slowly starts to experience lost in coolness. It could be that the Aircon gas leak is coming from loose joint from the connecting point of the aircon piping and fan coil unit. You can request for the last technician that did the Aircon chemical overhaul to do a bubble check on this. However, if no leak is found. It could be an indication that you have an Aircon gas leak in other parts of the system.

 

Causes of Aircon Gas Leak

 

While an aircon gas leak can feel like a sudden inconvenience, it rarely occurs without a cause. These escapes of refrigerant typically stem from specific physical failures or installation shortcomings. Understanding these root issues demystifies the problem so that a vague concern can become a manageable one with identifiable solutions.

 

Wear and Tear of the Compressor or Copper Pipes

 

The copper pipes that circulate the refrigerant to and from the compressor operate under constant stress. They endure a cycle of heating and cooling, expansion and contraction, along with persistent vibrations from the compressor motor. This relentless motion, over years of service, can lead to metal fatigue.

A common failure point is where the copper pipe connects to the compressor itself. The constant vibration can work the joint loose or create minute cracks in the hardened pipe near the flare nut. Similarly, sections of piping that rub against a bracket or wall may gradually wear thin until refrigerant finds a way out. This type of leak develops slowly, a quiet degradation that explains why cooling performance diminishes incrementally over time before failing completely.

 

Imperfect Joining of Pipes During Installation or Service

 

The integrity of your aircon system hinges on the precision of its assembly. Each connection point is a potential gateway for refrigerant to escape if not executed with exacting care. Two primary methods join pipes, each with its own vulnerability.

A flared joint, where the end of a copper pipe is widened and tightened with a nut against a fitting, demands perfect craftsmanship. An under-tightened flare leaves a gap, while over-tightening can crack the softened copper. Even a slight misalignment or a tiny speck of debris on the sealing surface can compromise the connection, allowing gas to seep out from day one. These flaws often lead to early-life leaks, appearing soon after a new installation or repair.

 

The Long-Term Test of Welded Joints

 

For stronger, more permanent connections, technicians often join copper pipes through brazing or welding, which is a process that melts a filler metal into the seam between two fittings. A properly welded joint is exceptionally durable, often outlasting the other components. However, its longevity is a direct reflection of the skill applied during its creation.

The risk lies in imperfect technique. Excessive heat can burn the flux, leading to porosity (tiny holes within the joint that become leak paths). Insufficient heat fails to draw the filler metal deep into the joint, creating a weak, superficial bond. While an expertly welded connection may last the system’s lifetime, a substandard one subjects the joint to constant internal pressure, which can eventually exploit these microscopic imperfections. This results in leaks that may take months or even years to manifest, a delayed consequence of an initial shortcut.

In short, every leak either results from time’s unavoidable wear on materials or imperfect craftsmanship during the system’s creation or servicing.

 

4 Things You Can Do When You Have Aircon Gas Leak

 

Conduct Aircon Pressure Test for Aircon Gas Leak

 

The easiest way to find out which part of your Aircon system is leaking is to do Aircon pressure test. Nevertheless, this is easier said than done. Because the cost of Aircon pressure test is incredibly expensive. It is also time consuming. It takes on average 2-7 days to find out which part of the system is leaking. If your aircon piping is found to be leaking. For HDB units, you might have to replace the entire set of piping. That is additional cost on top of the Aircon pressure test. Nevertheless, if you don’t wish to do a pressure test, you might have to proceed with the suggestions in the next 2 paragraphs.

Change the Compressor

 

If the Aircon servicing technician noticed gas stain on the compressor. It could be an indication that there is Aircon gas leak in the compressor. Nevertheless, you could never tell if this is the case, as it could be the piping that is near the compressor area that is leaking instead. Either way, you can take a bet here by just changing the compressor first. There’s a chance that there is gas leak from other parts of the Aircon system. But it is a risk that you have to take.

 

Change the Entire Set of Aircon Unit

 

If you are staying in a HDB unit, you might wish to just change the entire set of Aircon unit and get the whole system professionally installed. Especially if your Aircon is already very old. That is because most of the time, if one set of your aircon piping is leaking. You will have to change the entire set of Aircon piping. As all of the Aircon piping is stuck in the same trunking. Nevertheless, if your Aircon is relatively new. You might wish to do an Aircon pressure test instead.

 

Call the Last Serviced Technician to Check on Aircon Gas Leak

 

If you just did Aircon chemical overhaul or has a fan coil replacement. Check with the last Aircon servicing company that you engage in if you are still under warranty. IF you are still under warranty, get them to come back and check using bubble test. It could the the joint wasn’t tight. And it would save you a lot of money and trouble that you may potentially have to go through.

 

How Much to Solve Aircon Gas Leak Issue

 

It depends on what option you choose to solve this problem. Whether you do a pressure test, or you decide to change the entire set of Aircon system.

 

Aircon Pressure test

 

How many units for Aircon Pressure Test	Approximate Price
1	$150
2	$300
3	$450
4	$600

 

Changing Entire set of Aircon unit

You can refer to the listings below to check on your Aircon replacement price.