AC Repair Services › Refrigerant Recharge and Leak Repair

Refrigerant Recharge and Leak Repair in McKinney, TX

Refrigerant doesn't get consumed like fuel — if the level is low, the system has a leak somewhere. Adding refrigerant without fixing the leak is a temporary fix that will fail again. We find where the refrigerant is escaping, repair that point, and then bring the charge back to the correct level.

Call (361) 317-6400

When to Call

When You Need Refrigerant Recharge and Leak Repair

The air coming from your vents is cool but not cold enough to keep up
Ice is forming on the copper line set running to your outdoor unit
You were told last summer you were low on refrigerant and it's happening again
The system runs constantly but the house temperature barely drops
You notice an oily residue near the refrigerant lines or on the coil
A technician checked pressure and said your charge is low without finding a leak

How It Works

Our Process for Refrigerant Recharge and Leak Repair

1

Pressure test the system

We connect gauges to both the high and low side to get a baseline on current refrigerant charge and see how far off the system is.
2

Leak search

We use an electronic leak detector and UV dye to trace the refrigerant path through the coil, line set, fittings, and service valves.
3

Identify the leak location

Most leaks are at the evaporator coil, service valve cores, or flare fittings. We pinpoint the actual spot before quoting a repair.
4

Repair the leak

Depending on location, we repair or replace the leaking component. Coil leaks sometimes require coil replacement rather than patching.
5

Recharge to manufacturer spec

We add refrigerant by weight or by superheat and subcooling measurements, not by guesswork. The charge level is confirmed, not estimated.
6

Retest and verify

We run the system and verify proper temperature drop across the coil before we close out the job.

What's included

Electronic leak detection across the full refrigerant circuit
UV dye injection to help confirm or locate hard-to-find leak points
Repair of accessible leak points such as valve cores and line fittings
Refrigerant recharge measured to manufacturer specifications after leak repair
Post-recharge system performance check to confirm proper operation

What's not included

Evaporator coil replacement if the coil itself is leaking — that's a separate, larger repair
Refrigerant cost is itemized separately from labor because quantities vary by system and leak severity
Ductwork or airflow repairs, even if low refrigerant caused secondary issues like frozen coils

Real Situations

Common Scenarios in McKinney

A homeowner in Tucker Hill had refrigerant added two summers ago and is having the same cooling problem again.

Repeat low refrigerant almost always means a leak that wasn't found or fixed the first time. We do a full leak search before adding anything. Putting refrigerant in without locating the leak is money that will leak out again.

A family notices ice buildup on their line set on a 98-degree July afternoon in Adriatica.

We shut the system down to let the coil thaw, which takes time we build into the visit. Once the coil is clear, we can get accurate pressure readings and do a proper leak search. Running the test on a frozen coil gives bad data.

A homeowner near Eldorado Parkway has a 14-year-old unit that a previous technician said was low on R-22.

R-22 systems require honest conversation about long-term cost versus replacement value. We find and repair the leak if it's accessible, but we're upfront that an aging coil on an R-22 system may not be worth the full repair investment.

McKinney Context

Why this matters in McKinney

North Texas heat means refrigerant-based systems run hard for six or more months a year. That constant cycling puts stress on coil connections and service valve cores over time. A lot of homes in McKinney were built with builder-grade equipment that is now 10 to 15 years old, and coil leaks on that generation of equipment are increasingly common as the systems age.

Straight Talk

About pricing & scope

The cost of this service depends on how much refrigerant the system needs, where the leak is located, and whether the leak can be repaired or requires a component replacement. Coil leaks are more expensive to address than fitting leaks. We tell you what we find and what the options cost before any refrigerant goes in.

What This Fixes