There was a time when you could just flip on your AC in the spring to see if the air coming form the outlets was cold. If it seemed too warm, you merely took the car to the shop and had some refrigerant added. At one point, it was even considered normal for an air conditioning system to lose a pound of refrigerant per year. Since then however, attitudes about refrigerant loss have changed drastically. Scientists have concluded that R-12 refrigerant, a Chlorinated Fluorocarbon (CFC) also known as FREON®, is partly responsible for depletion of the earth’s ozone layer. To reduce the loss of refrigerant, car manufacturers now make their systems much more leak-resistant by using improved materials for lines, hoses and seals. Federal and state regulations also require that repair shops have the correct equipment and training for handling refrigerant.

A low refrigerant charge can cause major damage to our car’s air conditioning system. Unlike some older compressors that had their own oil supply, most current designs rely on a sufficient refrigerant charge to carry oil through the system. If that charge is lost—either partially or completely—the compressor may starve for oil an fail shortly thereafter. This results in a major expense, not only for the compressor, but for related items that will have to be replaced if the compressor fails.

If your experience any of these warning signs, costly repairs may be in your future.

Have your vehicle’s air conditioning checked at least once a year. Not only will you be doing your car and your wallet a favor . . .you’ll also be making an important step towards protecting our environment and making the world a better place to live. Let us find the small problems and prevent them from becoming big ones.