Can a maintenance mistake cause freon to leak from unit?

by Minnie
(Richmond, VA)

A certified Air Conditioning Tech came out and did a maintenance check on my central ac system one morning and told me that everything was okay.

He specifically said the ac unit did not need Freon, the unit was working fine when he left, I went to work. When I returned home the inside temperature was 92. The central air conditioner unit was blowing out warm air.

When Tech returned he said no Freon was in unit. Could something have been done by the Tech doing the maintenance check to leak the Freon out?

Comments for Can a maintenance mistake cause freon to leak from unit?

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starstarstarstarstar 		leak when tech disconnected his equipment NEW
by: Anonymous

An A/C tech just check the freon in our unit. As he was disconnecting his equipment, a loud hiss and small plume of what kind of looked like smoke came from the condenser unit. It was just a second or so that it did this, but how much freon could leak out in that amount of time?
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starstarstarstarstar 		Trash between the service valve connection NEW
by: Dale

Simple answer is yes. When checking the reading with gauges through the service valve, maybe a little trash caused the Schrader valve not to close 100%.
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starstarstarstar 		freon leak
by: grandma

Got new roof, have outside ac central system but ventsand pipes (?) put in attic and was informed recently that all freon leaked into my attic when roofing job was done.
2 questions- is that stuff safe for human to breath and do I need to have the insulation removed? I had horrible headaches and didn't know why.
2nd question: Are AC allowed to be attached to the ceiling or suppose to put in floor of attic? My roofer and AC guy are giving me a battlefield.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Freon Leak From Central Ac Units
by: Dadan

Yes, there is evident if a Freon was to leaks from crack or joint. You?ll see oil. But, you didn?t mention the tech fixing a leak. I?ll presume the leak is from valve. If this is regular central air conditioner, there are only two valves near the condenser unit.

The certified technician knows release refrigerant to the atmosphere is illegal. If technician got caught release it. It is 5 years in prison and some thousand dollar fine.

There is no way the tech will release a refrigerant to the atmosphere for few hundred dollar.

Is it possible you have neighbor, who enjoy torture you or the children could have mess with it? By the way, would you tell me how did the technician applied pressure to the system. I had ideas of what he did.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Can a maintenance mistake cause freon to leak from unit?
by: Minnie

Thanks Dadan for your comments. The questions that you have posed back to me, have given me a lot on insight. The Tech told me that he applied pressure to the line and there was not a leak to the system, and that the unit did not need freon.

And yes, I was away from the house from 9 am to 6 pm. When I returned home the unit was not cooling. The tech was not able to come out until the next day until 10:00 am. He put the gauge on the unit and said there was no freon in unit.

He left the house and came back and placed 6 lbs of freon in the unit. He asked me if someone could have taken the freon from the unit while I was at work, because he knew there was freon in it the previous day.

Of course he wants to charge me for the 6 lbs of freon and I don't think I should have to pay for it, if it leaked out due to his error. The unit was working fine before he did his maintenance check (cleaned condenser coils, blew out drain line, checked amp draw on motor, checked freon with guage).

If the freon leaked out at the outside unit, will it be evident? Will you see where it leaked out of the unit on to the ground?
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starstarstarstarstar 		The Entire Refrigerant Leaks Out?
by: Dadan

What did he check? Maintenance check could be anything.

The tech said, the central ac does not need refrigerant (in the morning). So, how does the entire refrigerant left the system within 8 or 12 hours? (I’m presuming the hours).

If the refrigerant leaks he knows it (he checks it early). A leaking Freon is slow process. It should have taken more than 8 or 12 hours for the entire refrigerant to leaks.

Did the technician tell you where the leak is coming from? How does he know the central ac does not need refrigerant? (In the morning) Did he put gauge? Or just go by the rule of thumb.

It possible he could have accidentally done something or it could just be coincident.

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