Refrigerant is not fuel. It is a working fluid that circulates in a closed loop, absorbing heat indoors and releasing it outdoors, over and over. Nothing consumes it. A system that is short of refrigerant has lost it somewhere, and the only lasting repair is to find the loss point.
The three types you will be offered
| Type | Found in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| R22 | Units roughly 10 years and older | Being phased out; price rises each year |
| R410a | Most current split units | Charged by weight; mixing it with R22 destroys the system |
| R32 | Newer high-efficiency models | Smaller charge, better efficiency, different pressures |
The type is printed on the outdoor unit nameplate. Anyone who does not check it before connecting gauges should not be working on your system.
What a correct refill looks like
- Recover the remaining refrigerant rather than venting it into the air.
- Pressurise with dry nitrogen and hold — a sealed circuit holds pressure for hours.
- Soap-test joints, valve cores and service ports to find the leak.
- Repair or re-flare the failed joint.
- Pull a deep vacuum to remove moisture and air, which otherwise form acid inside the system.
- Weigh in the exact charge from the nameplate and record the final pressures.
The vacuum stage is the one most often skipped, because it takes twenty quiet minutes and the customer cannot see its value. Moisture left inside a system reacts with the oil and slowly corrodes the compressor from the inside. Skipping it does not show up today; it shows up in year three.
Nitrogen pressure hold test
Frequently asked questions
How often should a healthy AC need gas?
Never, under normal operation. A correctly installed and sealed unit keeps its charge for its whole service life.
Can R410a be topped up like R22?
It must be charged by weight, and the system should be emptied and recharged rather than partially topped up, because R410a is a blend whose composition changes as it leaks.
Is a refrigerant leak dangerous?
Modern refrigerants are not toxic in normal room conditions, but a leak wastes energy, harms cooling and eventually damages the compressor, which is the expensive part.
Need help with this?
Our team provides ac cleaning & gas refill across every Riyadh district.
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