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.
How We Braze a Refrigerant Line Leak
Brazing is the process of joining copper refrigerant tubing using a high-temperature filler metal, typically a silver-phosphorus-copper alloy for copper-to-copper joints, melted at a temperature well above what soldering achieves. It's the only acceptable method for a permanent, pressure-rated repair on refrigerant lines, since the joint has to withstand system operating pressures that can exceed 400 psi on the high side for R-410A systems without leaking. A pinhole leak or a failed joint on a copper line set can develop from vibration fatigue at a fitting, physical damage from a nail or screw driven through a wall during other home work, corrosion at a joint exposed to moisture, or simply a poorly made braze joint from the original installation finally giving way years later.
Before any brazing work begins, we recover the system's full refrigerant charge, since brazing on a pressurized line is both dangerous and against EPA regulations that prohibit venting refrigerant to atmosphere. We then purge the line with dry nitrogen flowing through it during the brazing process itself, a critical step that's often skipped by less careful work. Brazing copper tubing in open air without a nitrogen purge causes the inside of the tube to oxidize, forming a black flaky residue called copper oxide scale that later breaks loose and circulates through the system, potentially clogging the metering device or filter drier. Purging with nitrogen displaces the oxygen inside the tube during heating and prevents that scale from forming in the first place.
Once the joint is brazed and cooled, we pressure test the repair and the surrounding circuit with dry nitrogen, typically holding several hundred psi and monitoring for any drop over an extended period, before committing to evacuation and recharge. New construction subdivisions around Georgetown, including newer developments where line sets often run through tight attic chases or crawlspace routing to reach the outdoor unit, tend to have line sets subjected to more flexing and vibration during the build process itself, and we sometimes find brazed joints from original installation that were rushed or under-heated. A properly brazed joint should show a smooth, uniform silver fillet around the entire circumference with no pinholes or dark, underheated spots, and we inspect every repair against that standard before closing up the work.
Copper Line Brazing Questions, Georgetown TX
AC Not Cooling? Low Refrigerant?
EPA certified technicians. We find leaks, fix them, then recharge, in that order.