5 Benefits Of Professional A/C System Recharging: Capitol Subaru Auto Care Articles

 

5. DIY A/C Recharge Cans Don't Work On All Older Or Newer Vehicles

Most cars on the road today are equipped with a particular type of A/C system refrigerant known as R-134a. If your car is one of them, then it's compatible with many do-it-yourself A/C system recharging kits you can purchase at the auto parts store. But, if you've got an older vehicle or a modern hybrid or electric car, your vehicle's A/C system is different. On classic cars, the system uses the more volatile R12 refrigerant, which will require a technician to service the system or retrofit it to work with the new R-134a refrigerant. And the latest cars feature R1234yf refrigerant, including modern hybrid and electric cars. Unless your car has the most common type of A/C system and refrigerant, it may not be compatible with DIY A/C system recharge cans.

 

4. We've Got The Right Tools For The Job

Do-it-yourself A/C system recharging kits are supposed to be simple enough for anyone to use, even without experience under the hood. However, that means they just don't work as well as professional A/C system recharging tools. For instance, DIY A/C recharge kits only connect on the low-pressure side of the system, and have only one pressure gauge. Professional grade A/C system gauges connect at both the system's low-pressure and high-pressure sides with separate gauges to better monitor the pressure in the system. This makes it much easier to improperly fill your car when using DIY A/C recharging kits.

3. We Can Test For System Leaks

Over time, your vehicle's A/C system may develop a leak that allows refrigerant to escape into the atmosphere. DIY A/C recharging systems can add refrigerant to the system, but if there's a leak, it'll just leak right out again and you'll be back to where you started. When you get professional A/C system recharging service, we can first pressure test the system and locate any leaks. Leaks in the system will need to be fixed before the recharging service will be worth the effort.

 

2. We Can Recapture Old Refrigerant Safely

Refrigerant is a special gas that includes some volatile compounds. For instance, old R12 refrigerant is known as a CFC or chlorofluorocarbon, a class of chemicals shown to deplete the ozone layer! For that reason, the old refrigerant gas in your vehicle's A/C system can't just be vented into the atmosphere. It has to be recaptured and disposed of properly. This is only possible with professional-grade gear. DIY A/C system rechargers can add refrigerant, but it can't safely evacuate the old refrigerant. Extracting the old refrigerant and completely refilling your vehicle with fresh refrigerant is the best way to ensure your A/C system will perform at its best.

1. DIY A/C Recharge Kits Could Damage Your Vehicle

Improperly filling your vehicle's A/C system to the incorrect pressure can not only fail to recharge the system, it can actually do serious damage to the system! Overfilling the system means you'll need the help of a professional to extract the excess refrigerant.