Tip: Adding Freon to ACs is usually unnecessary and a ripoff

I’m on good terms with a small-time air conditioner seller, and I’ve bought several units from him. He once shared an industry secret:

Refrigerant recharge is basically unnecessary—it’s just a way to separate people from their money.

He says that any reputable manufacturer (assuming the unit isn’t refurbished) charges refrigerant at the factory that will last well over a decade without needing a top-up.

Refrigerant, commonly known as Freon, evaporates very slowly. Unless there’s a leak—which new installations are required to test for—the chance of leakage later on is extremely low.

When an AC stops cooling properly, it’s usually due to copper lines being too long or damaged, electrical components aging out, or dirty filters. The actual need to recharge refrigerant comes up less than 10% of the time.

For units older than ten years, it’s smarter to trade in the old one rather than spend money on a refrigerant recharge.