Refrigerant Leak — Emergency Diagnosis & Repair

Recognising these signs early can prevent total product loss:

• Bubbles visible in the liquid-line sight glass
• Suction pressure lower than normal, compressor running hot
• Oil staining around joints, valves, or the evaporator
• Gradual loss of cooling over days or weeks

Take these steps now, before our technician arrives:

• Do not keep adding gas without finding the leak — it's illegal and wasteful.
• Ventilate the plant room; some refrigerants displace oxygen.
• Note where you see oil staining — it often marks the leak point.
• Call REYDS for electronic leak detection and a permanent repair.

Our technicians check each of these in turn to pinpoint the fault:

• Vibration fatigue — Pipe work rubbing or flexing cracks joints over time, especially near the compressor discharge.
• Corrosion — Coastal humidity and salt attack copper and steel, pin-holing coils and fittings.
• Mechanical damage — Impact during cleaning or stock movement fractures lines or the evaporator coil.
• Failed flare or braze joint — Poor installation or thermal cycling loosens a joint until it weeps gas.

REYDS pressure-tests the system with nitrogen, locates the leak with an electronic detector, repairs the joint or coil, replaces the filter-drier, evacuates to a deep vacuum, and re-charges to the exact weight on the data plate. We then leak-test again to confirm a permanent hold.

Annual leak detection with an electronic sniffer catches micro-leaks long before capacity is lost. Coastal sites benefit from a protective coating on vulnerable coils.