If your air conditioner stops functioning, more often, it can be resolved by the air conditioning regassing. Often, we expect air conditioners to work unconditionally, but it becomes a nightmare for many when the vents release warm air during hot afternoon summer! It is nothing new, over time, your air conditioner will not work as it was when you bought. But that is because it requires regular maintenance which many of us don’t pay attention to.
Fortunately, air conditioning maintenance is not rocket science; you can either DIY or call a specialist to fix it for you. It could be an expensive exercise regassing your air conditioner. Better still don’t DIY but let a specialist do the regassing for you. DIY-ing will mean extra cost in buying the tool kit, which is not worth it if you are on a budget.
Air conditioner regassing
This is the process or replacing old refrigerant gas with a new refrigerant in your air conditioning system so that it can run cold again. If your air conditioner is not blowing cold enough as it should the first thing to explore is the refrigerant. Regassing should take an air conditioning specialist no more than an hour to replace. Other issues could be present in your air conditioning system, but your technician should advise you accordingly if your system needs more than regassing.
Signs your air conditioner needs regassing
With age, your air conditioning quality decreases, and the first sign that your air con needs regas is when it ceases to produce cool air as it used to when it was bought. Another sign is when the AC doesn’t feel different when switched off or shuts off. If you can’t recall the last time you did regas your air conditioner, then you should seize any opportunity to do it right now.
How often should you regas air con
Maintenance for air conditioners should be done after every two years, but many of us wait until it no longer blows cold air. It is not likely to cause any harm but poorly functioning conditioners will not demist windows during winter or risk working your engine harder hence more fuel consumption. So, it is worth checking your system regularly and at the first sign of inefficiency.
Is regas part of the regular service?
Servicing your car regularly ensures your car remains roadworthy and in condition, but many forget to do air-con systems. In most garages, regassing is not part of the service, but you can get it at an extra cost. If you decide to do a regas at a garage, ask the technician to check the level of the lubricant and replace the old gas with a new one to the required level. Of importance also, is to check the vacuum for breaks and leaks that could hinder the performance of your air conditioner.
Failure to regas your air conditioner will lead to inefficiency in cooling your car when it is too hot inside. Abandoning your air conditioner will lead to more issues which in the long run, becomes an expensive affair to fix. Another way to keep your air conditioner in its top form is to use it regularly. Change the cabin filter regularly and consider using anti-bacteria when nasty smell begins to ooze from the vents.