Your car’s air conditioning system plays an important role in keeping the temperature cool when the weather gets warm but also maintaining the air quality inside your vehicle by filtering out contaminants.
However, over time, the refrigerant gas within your car’s air conditioning system starts to diminish and will need recharging, a process also referred to as regassing. This guide aims to help you decide when to get an air conditioning service to keep your air con system in tip-top condition.
How often does car air con need regassing?
Most manufacturers recommend that you recharge your aircon with fresh refrigerant gas every two years, or sooner depending on whether you notice any of the signs that air con system is flagging. It is not something that is usually included in your car’s service so you will likely need to book a separate air conditioning service.
How do you know if your car air con is low on gas?
There are a few tell-tale signs that you should book an air con service with air conditioning recharge:
Your air conditioning system is blowing out warm air
You should be able to notice a difference in the temperature of the air coming from your air vents when the air con is on. If you aren’t able to notice much of a difference or if the air feels warm then it’s certainly time for a regas.
Your air conditioning only works intermittently
You should be getting consistently cool air or cold air from your car’s air con. If the temperature is fluctuating then it might be due a regas or there may be other issues so check in with your local garage.
You can’t remember the last time your system was regassed
If it’s been so long that you can’t remember the last time you regassed your air conditioning system then it will likely need doing!
What are the signs that you might need a car air conditioning service and how is it different from a simple regassing?
Air conditioning services may be slightly more expensive but the whole air con system is decontaminated (debugged) from allergens and bacteria. This helps to prevent odours and allergies so if you notice either of these when using your air con then it’s definitely time for a full air con service.
Can you re-gas your car air con yourself?
You can get hold of air con regassing kits relatively easily but we recommend you leave the regassing of your air conditioning system to an expert. Not only will it take you longer than it would do a professional but the kits themselves are almost as expensive as paying someone else to do it and a professional will also be able to check for leaks and other issues at the same time too.
More importantly, if it goes wrong it can be expensive to fix and there are several key safety and environmental concerns to be considered too. If the refrigerant comes into contact with your skin it can cause painful freeze burns. The air con gas itself (feron) is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) which can cause serious damage to the ozone layer, a large contributing factor to global warming. Therefore, any person handling the gas should be trained, fully qualified and be able to dispose of excess or old refrigerant gas safely without causing environmental damage.
How long does an air con re-gas take?
Done by an expert, a vehicle air conditioning system regas should only take around an hour.
How much does an air con re-gas cost?
The cost of an air conditioning recharge depends on which type of refrigerant gas is used. Speak to your local garage or contact us at Peverell Garage if you are in the Plymouth area and we can give you an accurate quote for your make and model vehicle.
Air conditioning services at Peverell Garage in Plymouth
Here at Peverell Garage we offer air con recharge (regassing) and servicing for air con units using r134a and r1234yf. We also offer maintenance and repair services for air con systems and perform a leak detection test as standard prior to any regassing that we do on your car air conditioning. Manufacturer’s recommend having your air condition system serviced every 2 years to prevent moisture building up inside the system and causing premature failure or damage to the system components. Extending it’s lifespan and preventing any costly repairs.
Please contact our friendly team for more information, quotes or to get booked in today.
Why not ask us about our air conditioning cleaning service, this helps kill any bacteria build up on the air conditioning evaporator, interior vents and makes the ait you breath in clean and smelling fresh.
