The AC isn't cooling: where to start
Before you think about gas, there are three things that fail far more often and that you can check yourself in ten minutes: how the remote is set, the state of the filters and whether the outdoor unit starts. We'll go in order, from cheapest to most expensive, so you don't pay for a recharge you didn't need.
Step 1 of 5
Let's start with the silly stuff, because it's the answer more often than anything else. How is the remote set?
Look at the icon on the screen. The snowflake is cooling, the droplet is dehumidify, the fan is just air moving and the sun is heating. On fan mode it won't cool however far you turn the temperature down, and on dehumidify it cools only partly and very slowly, on purpose. Set it to snowflake, 22 or 23 degrees and high fan speed. And change the remote's batteries: when they're running low the unit receives half a command and does odd things without showing any error on the display.
The cheap things first: mode, remote and filters
Before you think about gas, rule out what costs nothing. The unit needs to be on cooling mode, with the snowflake, between 22 and 24 degrees and on high fan speed. On fan mode it only moves air and on dehumidify it cools partly, so there's no fault there at all. Flat batteries in the remote are another classic: the unit receives half a command and behaves oddly without showing any error.
Filters are the number one cause
If the air comes out lukewarm or barely blows, take out the filters. Lift the front cover with both hands and they come out by pulling up and outwards, no tools needed. Wash them with lukewarm water and a little soap, let them dry in the shade and put them back. It's the only thing you need to do inside, and it's worth repeating every three or four weeks during the season. The lower part, where the circuit board and cables are, stays closed, and do all this with the unit unplugged.
Gas doesn't get used up, and this is the important bit
This is where a lot of money gets wasted. Refrigerant isn't fuel: it isn't consumed with use, and a properly installed circuit has the same charge from day one. If it's short of gas, there's a leak, so refilling without finding where it escapes means paying twice. The right way is to locate the leak, repair it, pull a vacuum and charge the exact amount the manufacturer specifies, by weight. Also, legally, only someone with an F-gas certificate (carné de gases fluorados) can open the circuit, under Royal Decree (Real Decreto) 552/2019. What the market charges to do it properly is in how much it costs to regas an air conditioner.
Ice, drips inside the flat and a stopped outdoor unit
Frost on the pipes appears when there's a low charge or too little airflow, and it's best to switch the unit off and let it defrost before anyone comes: with the circuit frozen, nothing can be measured. Water dripping inside the flat almost never has anything to do with the gas: it's usually a blocked condensate pipe and an overflowing tray. And if the outdoor unit doesn't start or stops straight away, no cold is produced at any point: there, the suspects are the start capacitor, the outdoor fan or a clogged grille.
What we do
Tell us on WhatsApp or through the form what you found, with the brand, model and age of the unit. We give you a fixed price in writing, usually in under two hours, and an independent professional who works with us comes to your home, with an F-gas certificate when the job involves the circuit. We cover Valencia city and l'Horta, and the price doesn't change during the job: if something else turns up, it's quoted separately and you decide.
Frequently asked questions
How often does air conditioning need regassing?
Never, if it's installed properly. The refrigerant isn't consumed with use: a sealed circuit keeps its charge from the day it's installed. If it's short of gas, there's a leak somewhere. Topping it up without finding the leak means paying twice, because in a few months you'll be exactly where you started.
Can I clean the air conditioning myself?
The filters, yes, and you should do it every three or four weeks in summer. They come out by hand, get washed with lukewarm water and soap and dried in the shade before refitting. What you don't touch is the lower part of the unit, where the circuit board and cables are. The blower wheel and the tray need dismantling.
Why does ice form on the air con pipes?
Because the circuit's temperature drops lower than it should, usually from a low charge or because too little air gets in through clogged filters. The moisture in the air freezes on the copper. If you see it, switch the unit off and let it defrost for a few hours: with the circuit frozen, nothing can be measured.
The air con is dripping inside the flat. Is it serious?
Not serious, but switch it off now because the water goes into the wall and the socket underneath. It's nearly always a condensate pipe blocked with mould and an overflowing tray, not a gas problem. The condensate circuit gets cleaned and the pipe's slope is checked to make sure it's right.