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.
Testing With Nitrogen Before Charging Refrigerant
Nitrogen pressure testing means pressurizing a refrigerant circuit with dry nitrogen gas, an inert, non-reactive gas that won't damage components or react with residual oil, and monitoring for pressure loss over time to confirm the system is leak-free before committing expensive refrigerant to it. We use this test after any repair or new installation that involved cutting, brazing, or otherwise opening the refrigerant circuit, since it's far more cost-effective and environmentally responsible to find a leak with nitrogen than to charge refrigerant into a system that turns out to still have an unrepaired leak, only to have to recover it again.
The process involves pressurizing the system to a level appropriate for the components and refrigerant type involved, often several hundred psi for a system designed for R-410A given its higher operating pressures compared to older refrigerants, then isolating the nitrogen supply and monitoring gauge pressure over an extended hold period, typically at least fifteen minutes for a quick check but often several hours or overnight for a more rigorous test on a repair we want full confidence in. Any meaningful pressure drop indicates a leak somewhere in the tested section, and we then use soap bubble solution at suspect joints, since nitrogen itself isn't detectable by electronic refrigerant sniffers, to pinpoint the exact leak location before repairing and retesting.
Georgetown's rapid residential growth means we perform nitrogen testing on new system installations regularly, since it's a required step for confirming brazed joints made during installation are sound before the system is evacuated and charged, and it's also standard practice on any repair to an existing system's refrigerant circuit. We account for ambient temperature swings during longer hold tests, since gas pressure changes with temperature according to basic gas laws, a pressure reading taken during a hot Georgetown afternoon will differ from one taken after the temperature drops that evening even with zero actual leak, so we factor expected temperature-driven pressure change into our interpretation rather than treating any pressure change at all as automatic proof of a leak. This attention to detail is what separates a nitrogen test that actually confirms system integrity from one that just checks a box.
Nitrogen Pressure Testing Questions, Georgetown TX
AC Not Cooling? Low Refrigerant?
EPA certified technicians. We find leaks, fix them, then recharge, in that order.