01Step 1
Refrigerant Recovery
We pull the old refrigerant out with a recovery machine and weigh it. The amount that comes out tells us how leaky the system is before we add anything.
Car AC recharge, done right.
Full recovery, deep vacuum, and a recharge to the exact ounces your manufacturer specifies. R-134a and R-1234yf in-house. We check for leaks first, because a recharge without a leak check is a refund waiting to happen.
More than just topping it off.
A real recharge is four steps, not one. Anyone who skips the recovery and vacuum is guessing at the fill.
02Step 2
Deep Vacuum
30 to 45 minutes under vacuum to pull moisture and air out of the lines. Skipping this is why parts-store kits ruin compressors.
03Step 3
Leak Check Under Vacuum
If the system cannot hold a vacuum, you have a leak. We tell you before we waste refrigerant on a system that will be empty next month.
04Step 4
Recharge to Factory Spec
Weighed-in refill to the exact ounces called out on your underhood label. Not approximate, not guessed.
05
R-134a or R-1234yf
Both refrigerants in stock. Most vehicles built after 2014 use R-1234yf, which costs more but is what the system needs. We use what your car was built for.
06
PAG Oil Top-Off
Compressor oil leaves with old refrigerant. We add the correct PAG-46, PAG-100, or POE oil so the compressor does not run dry.
Why we will not just top it off.
AC systems are sealed. If yours is low, something is leaking, and a quick top-off is a band-aid that lasts a few weeks at best.
A low system means a leak
From the factory, an AC system should never need refrigerant. If yours is low, the refrigerant escaped through a seal, a hose, the compressor shaft, or the evaporator core. Find the leak first.
Overcharging breaks compressors
Too much refrigerant raises high-side pressure past the design limit. The compressor works harder, runs hotter, and eventually seizes. We weigh the fill so this cannot happen.
Moisture is the real killer
Any air that gets in carries moisture. Moisture plus refrigerant forms acid that eats the lines from the inside. The deep vacuum step pulls that moisture out.
Stop-leak sealers do more harm than good
The sealants in parts-store cans clog the expansion valve, contaminate the recovery machine, and void the warranty on most compressors. We do not use them and we do not recharge systems that have them.
R-1234yf is not optional
Newer vehicles use R-1234yf because regulation requires it. Mixing R-134a into a 1234yf system damages sensors and triggers warning lights. We use the correct refrigerant or we do not fill.
After the recharge, we test
Vent temperature, high-side pressure, low-side pressure, and clutch cycling all get checked before you leave. If anything is off, you find out in our bay, not at a red light on Gate City Blvd.
Carolina summers run hot. A weak AC turns from annoyance to emergency by late May. Call ahead in the spring and we will get you in faster.
More on your AC system.
A recharge is one step. If your system is leaking, blowing hot, or the compressor is rough, start here.
01
AC Not Blowing Cold Air
Diagnostic guide to every common cause: low refrigerant, blower motor, blend door, condenser, electrical, cabin filter.
02
AC Compressor Replacement
Symptoms of a failing compressor, what the replacement involves, and why we replace the condenser at the same time.
03
AC Visible Leak Check
Visual inspection of the AC components we can see under the hood. Honest about what we can repair and what we refer to a specialty shop.
04
All AC Repair Service
The full picture: diagnosis, recharge, visible leak check, compressor work.
Frequently asked.
Pricing depends on the refrigerant your vehicle uses (R-134a is one cost, R-1234yf is significantly more) and how much your system needs. Call (336) 370-6710 for a quote on your specific vehicle. We will always tell you the total before we touch a wrench.
Plan on 45 minutes to an hour for a full evacuate-and-recharge. The vacuum step alone takes 30 to 45 minutes and cannot be rushed without leaving moisture in the lines.
It should not. The system is sealed from the factory. If yours is low, you have a leak somewhere (a hose, a seal, the compressor shaft, an O-ring, or the evaporator core). A recharge alone is a temporary fix. We find the leak and repair it so the next recharge lasts.
We strongly advise against it. The cans almost always overcharge the system, the built-in sealants clog the expansion valve, and you end up turning a small leak repair into a compressor and condenser job. We have seen the damage often enough to say it plainly.
R-134a is the older refrigerant, used on most vehicles built before 2014. R-1234yf is the newer low-GWP refrigerant required on most vehicles since then. They are not interchangeable, they are not the same price, and mixing them damages the system. Check your underhood label or ask us.
On a healthy system, never. If you are recharging every year or two, you have a slow leak that needs to be found and fixed. Two recharges in three years is the point where the leak repair pays for itself.
No. Stop-leak contaminates our recovery machine and damages future customers' systems. If your car has had a DIY can with sealant added, we have to flush the system before we can put fresh refrigerant in. Call us first and we will walk you through the options.
We back the labor. If we find a leak and repair it, the leak repair carries our standard parts-and-labor warranty. A recharge on a system with an unrepaired leak we cannot warranty, because it will leak again.
Most likely a slow leak that finally got the level low enough to lose cooling. Bring it in. We will pressure-test, find the source, and quote both the leak repair and the recharge together so there are no surprises.
Yes, but it requires special POE oil instead of PAG (PAG conducts electricity, which is a problem in a hybrid compressor). We stock the right oil and recharge hybrids and EVs to spec.
AC running warm?
Do not waste another summer sweating it out. Call us, we will get you cold again and keep you that way.
1605 W Gate City Blvd
Greensboro, NC 27403
Mon–Fri · 9 AM – 6 PM
Sat · 9 AM – 3 PM
(336) 370-6710
Walk-ins welcome