How To Recharge Your Car’s Air Conditioner
General
2 years ago
With temperatures starting to rise, it’s time to make sure your car’s air conditioner is working the way it should to keep you cool all summer long!
Most vehicles need to have their air conditioner recharged every two years or so. If you’re noticing signs that it needs to be recharged, bring it into Boggs right away and we can take care of it for you.
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What Is A Car Air Conditioner Recharge?
If the AC in your car or truck is not blowing out cold air, it may need an air conditioner recharge. This is done by topping off the refrigerant in the vehicle’s air conditioning system. If the refrigerant is low, it could also mean there is a leak in your system that needs to be repaired.
Taking care of your vehicle’s air conditioning system is important, and not only to keep you comfortable in the summer months! Having your car’s air conditioning system serviced regularly can improve your fuel efficiency, prevent costly repairs in the future, and extend the life of your engine.
Signs Its Time For A Car Air Conditioner Recharge
Musty Smell
If you’ve noticed a musty smell when you switch on the air conditioner in your vehicle, it could be a sign it needs to be recharged. Typically a smell like this is caused by mold or mildew that grows inside the system when it’s low on refrigerant.
Cold Air Has Stopped Blowing
This might be the most obvious sign…there’s no cool air blowing through the vents when you switch on the air conditioning! This could mean that your vehicle is low on refrigerant, which means it can’t allow the evaporator core to reach the ideal temperature for cooling.
Wet Spots On Air Conditioner Lines
If you’ve looked under the hood and noticed wet spots or even frost on your vehicle’s air conditioner lines, bring it in for service right away. These signs could indicate a leak in the car’s air conditioner lines or welds.
How Does A Car Air Conditioner Recharge Work?
An air conditioning recharge is typically simple and involves adding refrigerant to your vehicle’s air conditioner system. Refrigerant ensures the right amount of pressure is used and carries oils to lubricate the system and prevent components from overheating.
At Boggs, we use a machine to test your vehicle’s air conditioner system’s pressure and temperature. This tool helps us identify if a leak is present that needs to be repaired. A complete air conditioner recharge includes removing old refrigerant and refilling with either R134 or R1234YR depending on the age of your vehicle.
R1234YR is for newer vehicles (built in 2016 to the present) and an air conditioner recharge with this refrigerant costs $240 and takes 2 hours or more.
R134 is for older vehicles built prior to 2016 and an air conditioner recharge with this type of refrigerant costs $120 and takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Avoid Recharging Your Car’s Air Conditioning System Yourself
You might have seen kits for sale for DIY air conditioner recharging, however using these is strongly discouraged by professional mechanics. Using a DIY kit may leave your vehicle worse off than you were before because if you try to refill your system and are off by even 0.1 of a pound, it won’t work.
These kits or cans of freon don’t allow you to measure how much refrigerant you’re putting in your vehicle, so the odds of getting it right are slim to none without professional equipment.
Adding too much refrigerant to your vehicle’s air conditioning system can damage the entire system and these kits often contain elements made to seal leaks which can damage your car’s air conditioning components.
Even more importantly, recharging your car’s air conditioning system is still considered a professional repair because of the use of hazardous liquids. A certified technician or mechanic is trained to handle repairs like this and properly dispose of any hazardous materials.
Boggs Is Here To Help!
The mechanics at Boggs can easily handle your vehicle’s air conditioning system recharge, so why not take the stress out of summer car maintenance?
We’re proud to be your local full-service car repair and maintenance shop with two convenient locations in Warsaw. We also have free pick-up available with our Boggs Driver service for oil changes and preventative maintenance services.
Boggs Driver
No appointment is necessary for oil changes at Boggs Pit Stop or Boggs Automotive, so you can just stop by! If you’d like to schedule any other car repair services, just click below to give us a call.
