Car air conditioning that gets cold again

A regas on its own is often the wrong answer

Air conditioning is a sealed system. If it has lost enough gas to stop blowing cold, that gas went somewhere. Putting more in without finding out where is how people end up paying for the same job twice in one summer.

So we look for the leak first. That means testing the system properly rather than topping it up and handing you the keys. Sometimes it genuinely is just low after years of normal seepage. Often it is a tired o-ring, a corroded condenser or a failing compressor seal. Once that is fixed the gas stays where it belongs.

Why the ARC licence matters

Handling automotive refrigerant in Australia requires a licence from the Australian Refrigeration Council. It is not paperwork for its own sake. Refrigerant is a potent greenhouse gas, venting it is an offence. Recovering it properly needs the right equipment.

We hold ARC licence AU57843, so the gas is recovered, measured and recharged correctly. The work is logged the way it is supposed to be.

What we look at

• System pressures tested against what your car should be running
• Leak detection so the cause gets found, not just the symptom
• Recover, evacuate and recharge to the correct weight for your vehicle
• Compressor, condenser, receiver drier and hoses inspected
• Cabin filter checked, because weak airflow is often the filter rather than the gas
• Vent temperature measured before you get the car back

Signs it needs looking at

Air that is cool but not cold. Cold at highway speed then warm in traffic. A smell when you first turn it on. Noise from the compressor when the air conditioning kicks in. Windows that take forever to demist in winter, which catches people out because they do not realise the air conditioning is what dries the air.