top of page

Gas Top-Up? How to Know if You Actually Have a Leak

  • thesnowflakesg
  • 5 days ago
  • 2 min read

If your aircon “needs gas,” something’s wrong. Refrigerant doesn’t disappear on its own — and repeated top-ups without checking for leaks only mask the issue. Here’s how to tell if your system needs a real check, not just another refill.


First — Understand This: Refrigerant Is a Closed System

Your aircon gas is sealed.

Unless there’s a leak, it doesn’t “run out.”


If you’re topping up gas more than once every few years (or worse — yearly), that’s not maintenance.

That’s a fault.


Signs You Might Actually Have a Leak

  • Cooling used to be strong, then dropped gradually

  • One indoor unit is weaker than others on a multi-split system

  • You hear bubbling or hissing near the condenser

  • Ice forms on the pipe or coil

  • Previous top-up worked temporarily, but the issue came back

  • You’ve topped up more than once in 24 months


When a Gas Top-Up Might Be Reasonable

There are rare cases where a top-up is valid without an immediate leak repair:

  • You had recent piping work or recon install (minor volume loss during works)

  • The system is very old and you’re planning for full replacement soon

  • The leak is extremely minor, and the customer acknowledges it’s a stop-gap

    • But these are edge cases — not the norm.


Why Blind Top-Ups Cause Damage

Without leak tracing, you’re just:

  • Overworking the compressor

  • Reducing cooling efficiency

  • Risking long-term failure

  • Spending repeatedly without solving the root issue


What We Do Instead

At Snowflake, we don’t gas blindly.

We trace.


If low gas is suspected, we:

  • Confirm system pressure

  • Look for oil marks or corroded flare joints

  • Run soap bubble or nitrogen pressure tests where needed

  • Advise you clearly whether it's safe to top up — or critical to fix


Final Word

Refrigerant loss = leak.

Leak = fault.

Fault needs confirmation — not guesswork.

If your system “needs gas,” let us confirm why — before doing more harm.


Need aircon help?

Whether it's cooling issues, leaks, noise, or weak airflow — we diagnose first before recommending any fix. No guesswork. No pressure. Just proper checks and real solutions.



© 2025 Snowflake Aircon Services. All rights reserved.

bottom of page