If you are getting your air conditioner cleaned as soon as summer arrives, then understand the game of gas, pressure and money..
The summer season has arrived, and with it, preparations have begun for servicing ACs, coolers, and fans that have been out of service for 3-4 months. Technicians are often called in for air conditioner servicing to ensure proper cleaning. During AC servicing, it's often seen that the technician says, "Sir, the AC is leaking gas; it needs to be refilled." But did you know that this could be a major scam and fraud?
This is because most people don't know the correct gas pressure level in their AC. This makes it difficult to determine whether the technician's claim of a gas leak is true or simply a way to force a refill. This is how AC gas leak scams happen.
How to spot an AC gas leak scam?
During home AC servicing, the technician tells you that the gas is leaking and needs to be refilled. This seems like a simple procedure, but sometimes the AC actually leaks gas and needs to be refilled.
But the concern is that the technician might mislead you by pretending it's a gas leak. The easiest way to find out is to know what the gas pressure should be for your air conditioner to function properly.
According to air conditioner installation experts, the standard pressure levels in an AC for a 1.5-ton air conditioner are as follows:
Refrigerant Running Pressure (PSI) Close Pressure (PSI)
R410 130–140 240–280
R22 60–65 Around 150
How to Measure Pressure?
Before AC servicing begins, turn on your AC and ask the technician to check the gas pressure while the unit is running. Then, compare the reading to the "Running Pressure" value given in the table.
If the reading falls within the expected range, there's probably no need to refill the gas.
Knowing the running and closing pressure of the AC can help prevent AC gas leak scams.