If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, it has a leak — refrigerant does not simply run out or get "used up." Anyone who just tops off your charge and leaves is selling you a temporary fix and a bigger bill later. Geaux 72 Degrees finds the actual leak, shows you the problem, and repairs it correctly so your Baton Rouge system cools the way it should.
Our technicians are EPA Section 608 certified, which the law requires for anyone handling refrigerant, and we take that responsibility seriously. Call (831) 461-3437 if your AC is struggling to cool, icing up, or eating refrigerant, and we will get to the root of it instead of masking the symptom.
Signs of a Refrigerant Leak
- The AC runs constantly but only cools weakly, especially in the afternoon heat
- Ice forming on the refrigerant lines or the indoor coil
- A hissing or bubbling sound near the lines or coil
- Higher energy bills as the system strains to keep up
- You have had refrigerant added before and it is low again
- Warmer air from the vents than you are used to
- The system was recharged last summer and is short again this year
What’s Included
Every refrigerant leak detection job from Geaux 72 Degrees is done the complete way — here’s what you get when our team is on site:
- Confirmation of a genuine low charge using gauges and temperature split
- Electronic leak detection plus UV dye where appropriate
- Inspection of the evaporator coil, condenser coil, line set, fittings, and valve cores
- Written options: repair and recharge, or an honest replacement comparison
- Proper system evacuation before recharging
- Recharge to the manufacturer's specified charge under EPA Section 608 rules
- Post-repair cooling and performance verification
- Straight guidance on aging R-22 systems
Why a Leak Search Matters More Than a Recharge
Refrigerant is a sealed loop. When the level drops, it escaped somewhere — a corroded coil, a loose fitting, a rubbed-through line, or a Schrader valve. Simply adding more without finding the source means you will be low again, you will keep paying for refrigerant, and your compressor runs starved the whole time, which shortens its life.
There is also the environmental and legal side: releasing refrigerant is prohibited, and EPA rules govern how it is handled and how leaks are addressed. Doing it right is not optional for a licensed contractor, and it protects you as the homeowner.
How We Find and Fix the Leak
We start by confirming the system truly is low, using gauges and the temperature split rather than assuming. Then we hunt the leak with the right tools — electronic detectors, UV dye where appropriate, and a careful inspection of the coils, line set, fittings, and valve cores. Baton Rouge humidity is tough on outdoor coils, so corrosion leaks are common here.
Once we locate it, we give you written options: repair the leak and properly recharge, or, if the leak is in an aging coil or the system is on old R-22, weigh a replacement honestly. After a repair we evacuate the system, recharge to the manufacturer's spec, and verify performance before we call it done.
- Confirm the low charge with gauges and temperature split
- Pinpoint the leak with electronic detection and UV dye
- Inspect coils, line set, fittings, and valve cores
- Repair, evacuate, and recharge to manufacturer spec
- Verify cooling performance after the fix
Humidity, Corrosion, and Coil Leaks in Louisiana
Our hot, humid, sometimes salty coastal air is hard on aluminum and copper coils. Over years of near-constant runtime, formicary corrosion can create pinhole leaks that are almost invisible without proper detection. It is one reason refrigerant issues are so common in the Capital Region.
When we find a leaking evaporator or condenser coil, we will be straight with you about whether a coil replacement or a full system replacement is the smarter money — especially if you are still running phased-out R-22, which has become expensive to service.
Why Baton Rouge Chooses Geaux 72 for Refrigerant Leak Detection
- We find and seal the actual leak instead of selling you a temporary top-off you will pay for again.
- EPA Section 608 certified technicians handle all refrigerant by law, protecting you and the environment.
- Corrosion-driven pinhole coil leaks are common in our coastal humidity, and we know where to look.
- You get an honest R-22-versus-replacement comparison rather than a costly patch on old equipment.
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What Affects the Cost
We don’t hide pricing behind vague estimates. Here’s what shapes the quote for refrigerant leak detection in Baton Rouge — and you’ll always get the final number in writing before we begin.
- The time required to locate the leak, which varies with how hidden it is
- Where the leak is — a fitting is minor, a corroded coil is a major repair
- The refrigerant type and amount, with older R-22 costing significantly more
- Whether the system needs a full evacuation and recharge after the fix
- The age of the equipment and whether repair or replacement makes sense
- Accessibility of the coil and line set
Refrigerant Leak Detection Across the Capital Region
Geaux 72 Degrees provides refrigerant leak detection throughout Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes — from the neighborhoods around LSU and Mid City out to Refrigerant Leak Detection in Baker, Zachary, Central, Denham Springs, Prairieville, Gonzales, and dozens of other communities across East Baton Rouge, Ascension, and Livingston parishes. Not sure if we reach you? See our full service area or call (831) 461-3437 and we’ll confirm the next available window for your address.
Refrigerant Leak Detection FAQs
We can recharge a system, but we will always recommend finding and fixing the leak first, because a top-off is temporary and you will be low again. Repeatedly adding refrigerant costs more over time and runs your compressor starved. Call (831) 461-3437 and we will find the real problem.
Because there is a leak that has not been repaired. In Baton Rouge's humid, corrosive air, pinhole coil leaks are especially common and worsen over time. Detecting and sealing the source stops the yearly recharge cycle for good.
R-22 has been phased out and is now expensive, so a significant leak in an aging R-22 system often tips the math toward replacement. We will lay out the cost of repair versus a new, efficient system honestly and let you decide what fits your budget.
We confirm the system is truly low, then hunt the source with electronic detectors and UV dye, inspecting the coils, line set, fittings, and valve cores. In Baton Rouge, corroded outdoor coils are a frequent culprit. Once we locate it, we show you the problem and lay out your options.
A slow leak mostly hurts your cooling and your wallet and can starve the compressor, but releasing refrigerant is also environmentally harmful and legally regulated. That is why proper detection and sealing matters. Call (831) 461-3437 and we will handle it correctly.
