As the days get warmer we all start to turn on our air conditioners both at home and in our cars.
Climate control systems have changed over the years. Their basic operation is still based on the same principles, but the newer systems hold a lot less Freon than the old ones did. The rubber hoses and various fittings have always caused most systems to leak some Freon, even the brand new ones. The difference now is that when even a little bit leaks out, it is a much larger percentage of the total Freon in the car. If you lose 2 ounces a year, in just two years you have lost 4 ounces. With some of the new systems holding just over one pound – 4 ounces of loss could mean that you are down by 25% on the correct charge.
When the Freon level is low less oil is carried into the compressor. This can cause it to run hotter and wear faster. For many years, when a/c systems held significantly more Freon, we could take the approach that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, with the smaller capacities we recommend that you service the system every other year if you are not seeing any problems and if you are seeing a drop in the cooling efficiency then service it as soon as possible.
Our technicians use a machine to pull all of the old Freon out of your car and measure it so we know exactly how low the system is. That Freon is re-cycled and cleaned by the machine and then the old Freon and enough new is added to fill the system to its exact factory specifications.
Have more questions? Just send an email to lynn@thatcarlady.com.
Happy driving,
That Car Lady, Lynn Beckwith
