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.