Important: Refrigerant work is EPA regulated. ProAir Georgetown technicians hold current EPA Section 608 Universal certification. We recover, recycle, and recharge refrigerant according to federal regulations and never vent refrigerants to atmosphere.
Refrigerant Leak Detection & Testing
Professional leak detection using electronic sniffers and UV dye. Find leaks before recharging, or recharge just moves the problem.
High-sensitivity electronic leak detectors locate small leaks in coils, line sets, and fittings that visual inspection misses.
UV dye injection and black light inspection, effective for finding intermittent or slow leaks that evade electronic detection.
Pressure test refrigerant circuits with dry nitrogen to verify leak-free condition before charging new refrigerant.
Refrigerant Service & Recovery
Proper refrigerant recharge, measured by subcooling and superheat, not just pressure gauges. We charge to manufacturer spec.
EPA-compliant refrigerant recovery before any system work requiring circuit opening.
Deep vacuum pull to remove moisture and non-condensables before refrigerant charge, critical for system longevity.
Extended deep vacuum to achieve proper micron levels, we don't rush this step that protects compressor life.
Convert systems from discontinued refrigerants to approved drop-in or replacement refrigerants.
Line Set Service & Repair
Flush contaminated line sets during compressor replacement to prevent new compressor failure from acid or debris.
Professional braze repair of pinhole leaks and joint failures in copper refrigerant lines.
Repair damaged liquid line sections including crimps, kinks, and corrosion failures.
Replace deteriorated suction line insulation, critical for efficiency and preventing condensation in Georgetown's humid summers.
Seal wall and foundation penetrations around line sets to prevent pest entry and air infiltration.
Install locking valve caps to prevent refrigerant theft and unauthorized access to Schrader valves.
Cooling Circuit Components
Replace leaking Schrader valve cores, a small but common source of refrigerant loss over time.
Install or replace liquid line filter driers, required after any system opening to remove moisture and acid.
Replace leaking or damaged service valves on compressors and line set connections.
Replace failed accumulators that protect compressors from liquid refrigerant slugging.
Replace failed thermostatic expansion valves, a hunting or stuck TXV causes refrigerant distribution problems and efficiency loss.
Repair or replace discharge line mufflers that reduce compressor noise and vibration.
Evaporator & Condenser Coil Service
Clean, inspect, and service evaporator coils, dirty coils are a leading cause of reduced cooling capacity in Georgetown homes.
Replace failed or leaking evaporator coils, including proper refrigerant recovery, installation, and recharge.
Straighten bent evaporator fins to restore full airflow through the coil and recover lost capacity.
Clean condenser coils fouled by Georgetown's cottonwood, dust, and debris, critical for summer efficiency.
Repair pinhole leaks and minor damage in condenser coils when full replacement isn't required.
Deep acid wash for severely fouled condenser coils, removes mineral scale, oxidation, and embedded debris.
Address the root cause of a frozen evaporator coil, low refrigerant or restricted airflow. We fix the cause, not just defrost.
Diagnose and repair the refrigerant or airflow condition causing ice formation on copper suction lines.
Understanding Service Valve Failure
Service valves are the larger shutoff valves at the outdoor unit where the line set connects to the compressor, typically one on the liquid line and one on the suction line. Unlike the small Schrader ports used for gauge connections, service valves can be fully closed to isolate the outdoor unit from the line set and indoor coil, which technicians use during compressor replacement, line set repair, or system evacuation. Each valve has a stem seal and a packing gland that keeps refrigerant contained when the valve is open, plus a cap that provides secondary sealing and protects the stem from the weather.
Failure typically develops at the packing gland, where the valve stem passes through the valve body. Years of thermal cycling as the valve heats and cools with each compressor cycle, combined with UV exposure and weather at an outdoor unit, gradually degrades the packing material until refrigerant begins to weep past the stem. Corrosion at the valve body itself, particularly on systems near sprinkler heads or in areas with more moisture exposure, can also compromise the seal over time. In many Georgetown homes the air handler and its line set connections sit in a hot attic while the service valves themselves are outside at the condenser, and it's actually the outdoor valve stem's constant thermal cycling between roughly 95 degree summer afternoons and much cooler mornings that stresses the packing seal fastest.
We diagnose a leaking service valve with electronic leak detection at the stem and cap, distinguishing it from a leak at the flare or braze connection nearby, which requires a different repair approach. A valve with only a worn packing gland can sometimes be repaired by tightening or replacing the packing without opening the full refrigerant circuit. A valve with a cracked body, damaged threads, or advanced corrosion requires full replacement, which means recovering the system's refrigerant charge, cutting the valve out, brazing in a new valve matched to the line size and refrigerant type, then evacuating and recharging. We always torque and cap the new valve to manufacturer spec and verify no leak remains with our electronic detector before considering the job finished, since a rushed valve replacement is one of the more common sources of a callback leak.
Service Valve Replacement Questions, Georgetown TX
AC Not Cooling? Low Refrigerant?
EPA certified technicians. We find leaks, fix them, then recharge, in that order.