If your air conditioning is not cooling as well as it used to, or is running for a long time without reaching the set temperature, low refrigerant charge is often the cause. We carry out gas recharges on all types of air conditioning across Leicester — F-Gas qualified, covering all current refrigerant types, with leak detection and repair included before we recharge.
Homeowners and businesses across Leicester trust Elite Cooling & Heating for refrigerant recharges.
Air conditioning refrigerant does not get used up in normal operation — it circulates in a closed loop indefinitely. If a system is low on refrigerant, it means there is a leak somewhere in the circuit. Before we recharge any system, we always investigate the cause of the low charge by carrying out an electronic leak detection test across the full refrigerant circuit — indoor unit, outdoor unit and all interconnecting pipework. Recharging without finding and fixing the leak just delays the problem.
Once we have located and repaired any leak, we recharge the system to the manufacturer's specified charge weight, verify the operating pressures and temperatures are back within the normal operating envelope, and update the F-Gas records. Under UK F-Gas regulations, all refrigerant handling must be carried out by engineers holding a City & Guilds F-Gas Category 1 qualification, and records of all refrigerant additions and removals must be maintained. We are fully compliant and provide documentation after every recharge.
UK F-Gas regulations make it illegal for unqualified persons to handle refrigerant. This applies to both adding and removing refrigerant from any system. All our engineers hold F-Gas Category 1 certification and we maintain compliance records for every job — protecting you from regulatory risk and ensuring the work is done correctly.
Tell us your system make, model and symptoms and we can advise on the likely cause before we visit. Same-week appointments across Leicester.
Book NowThese symptoms all suggest low refrigerant charge — all diagnosable and resolvable on the first visit.
The system runs but the room doesn't cool down properly, or takes much longer than it used to reach the set temperature.
Ice forming on the indoor unit coil or pipework is a classic sign of low refrigerant — the evaporator gets too cold and freezes moisture from the air.
The fan is running but the air coming out is not cold — the refrigerant circuit is not absorbing heat as it should because the charge is too low.
An undercharged system runs the compressor continuously trying to reach the set temperature — consuming significantly more electricity than a correctly charged system.
Unusual sounds from the indoor unit or pipework can indicate refrigerant moving through a partially blocked or leaking circuit.
Many systems display low-pressure error codes when the refrigerant charge drops below a safe operating threshold — a reliable indicator of a leak.
We carry refrigerant for all current and legacy AC system types — including R32, R410A, R407C and R22 recovery.
The current standard refrigerant for new systems — lower GWP than R410A and compliant with F-Gas phase-down requirements.
The most widely used refrigerant in systems installed before 2022 — we carry stock for top-up and recharge of all R410A systems.
Older commercial and VRF systems using R407C and R134a — we carry all current blended and single-component refrigerants.
R22 is a legacy refrigerant no longer available for top-up. We carry out safe recovery and assist with system replacement planning.
Refrigerant levels are checked at every annual service — catching undercharge before it causes a performance problem or breakdown.
Maintenance contracts include refrigerant pressure checks on every visit — low charge identified and resolved as part of routine maintenance.
Home AC systems — typically R32 or R410A — recharged same week across all Leicester locations.
Commercial systems recharged with full F-Gas compliance documentation — suitable for insurance and compliance purposes.
Leak detection first, then repair, then recharge — never just top up without finding the cause.
We connect manifold gauges to the refrigerant circuit and record operating pressures and temperatures to confirm whether the charge is low.
Electronic leak detector used across all joints, valve cores, coils and pipework to locate any refrigerant leak before we recharge.
Any leak located is repaired before we add refrigerant — preventing rapid re-loss and protecting the system from compressor damage.
Refrigerant added by weight to manufacturer specification. System tested and pressures verified. F-Gas records completed and provided.
We recharge all major brands of domestic and commercial air conditioning — any refrigerant type.
Same-week appointments for AC gas recharge and refrigerant top-up throughout Leicester and the surrounding region.
The most common signs are: the system runs but does not cool the room effectively, the air from the vents is warm or only slightly cool, there is ice forming on the indoor unit or pipework, or the system is displaying a low-pressure error code. Any of these symptoms warrants a refrigerant pressure check.
No. UK F-Gas regulations make it illegal for unqualified persons to handle refrigerants. Only engineers holding an F-Gas Category 1 qualification can legally add or remove refrigerant. Attempting to top up refrigerant without this qualification carries significant regulatory penalties and can damage the system.
Yes — and this is non-negotiable. Recharging a leaking system without finding and fixing the leak means the refrigerant will simply leak out again, often within weeks. We always carry out leak detection before adding refrigerant, and we repair any leak found before completing the recharge.
No. R22 was phased out under the F-Gas regulations and is no longer available for purchase or use as a top-up refrigerant. If you have an R22 system that has lost charge, we can safely recover the remaining refrigerant and advise you on the most cost-effective system replacement options.
Contact Elite Cooling & Heating for a gas recharge and leak detection service — same-week appointments across Leicester and the surrounding region.
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