When customers ask us to "just top off the AC," we usually push back gently. A properly sealed system shouldn't need refrigerant. If it does, there's a leak somewhere — at an O-ring, a hose, the condenser, or the compressor — and adding refrigerant without finding the leak just sends it back into the atmosphere.
Brakepoint tests AC systems for leaks, evacuates and recharges to the correct specification, and replaces the components that are actually failed. The goal is an AC system that works for years, not weeks.
Warning signs to watch for
- AC blowing warm or only slightly cool air
- AC takes much longer to cool down
- Hissing or bubbling under the hood
- Foul smell when AC turns on
- Reduced airflow from vents
- AC clutch won't engage
- Cabin fogs up or defroster isn't clearing windows
- Oily residue around AC components
What Brakepoint checks
- System pressures (high and low side)
- Refrigerant type and charge level
- Visible leak inspection of hoses, condenser, and fittings
- Dye and/or electronic leak detection where needed
- Compressor clutch engagement
- Blower motor and cabin air filter
- Operation of AC controls and blend doors
Why a leak matters
Refrigerant doesn't get used up. If a system is low, it leaked. Recharging without repairing the leak is a temporary fix at best, and an EPA concern at worst. We find the leak first, fix it, then recharge — so the work lasts.
AC and your defroster
The same AC system that cools your cabin in summer dries the air going to your defroster in winter. If your defroster takes forever to clear the windshield, the AC may not be coming on with the defrost setting. That's worth checking before the first cold morning.
If your AC isn't keeping up, call Brakepoint. We'll test the system, explain what we find, and let you know what it'll take to get it back to cold air.