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Tell us the house and the question
Call or message with the basics - house type, rooms, what you are weighing up. Two minutes of context makes the advice worth having.
No - it is illegal without an ARCtick licence, and topping up without fixing the leak wastes your money anyway. Here is the truth about regassing.
Can You Regas an Air Conditioner Yourself?
Regas
The Straight Answer
Aircon gas does not get used up. If you are low, you have a leak - and the leak is the job.
Can you regas your own air conditioner? No. Handling refrigerant in Australia legally requires an ARCtick licence, and buying the gas without one is illegal too. More to the point: air conditioning is a sealed system. It does not consume gas like a car uses petrol. If yours is low, the gas leaked out - and topping up without finding the leak buys you weeks before you are back where you started, minus the money. Since 1991, 4.8 stars from 280+ reviews.
Done properly, a regas call is a leak call: pressure test, find the leak, fix it, then charge the system to measured superheat and subcooling - not by guesswork or by weight alone. A straight top-up runs $200 to $350. A leak find and repair costs more, and it is the only version that stays fixed.
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Years of Industry Experience
Licensed, Certified & Insured Technicians
Environmentally Responsible & ARCtick Certified
100% Service Satisfaction Guarantee
Flexible & Affordable Financing Options
Wide Range of Systems & Leading Brands
Quick Numbers
What Regassing Actually Costs
Quoted before work starts, like everything we do.
Gas top-up: $200 to $350
For R32 and R410A systems, charged to measured values. Only worth doing once the leak is found and fixed - otherwise you are renting the gas.
Leak find and repair: quoted after testing
Common culprits are weeping flare joints and corroded coils. Flare repairs are quick and cheap; a corroded coil on an old unit starts the repair-or-replace conversation.
R22 systems: $265 a kilo, when available
R22 is discontinued. If your system runs it, it is 20-odd years old and any significant gas loss is the signal to replace, not regas.
The fine for DIY: not worth finding out
Unlicensed refrigerant handling carries real penalties, and venting refrigerant is an environmental offence. The gas is also not sold to unlicensed buyers - the eBay kits are the warning sign, not the workaround.
How to Tell If Your System Is Low on Gas
The signs: cooling that fades over weeks or months, the indoor coil or pipes icing up, longer run times, and a power bill creeping up for the same comfort. The confirmation needs gauges - you cannot tell by looking, and a unit that simply will not start usually has an electrical fault, not a gas one.
One honest warning: low gas slowly cooks compressors. A system run low for a year often turns a $300 leak repair into a dead compressor conversation. If the cooling is fading, get it tested this season, not next. More on the symptoms at our not cooling page.
Common Factors
What's Actually Gone Wrong
The regas questions we get most, answered straight.
How often does an air conditioner need regassing?
Never, if it is healthy. A sealed system holds its charge for its whole life. Needing gas means having a leak – regassing is a repair, not maintenance.
Why did the last top-up only last a few months?
Because the leak was never fixed. Gas in, gas out, invoice kept. Insist on a pressure test and leak repair before anyone charges the system again.
What is an ARCtick licence and why does it matter?
The Australian refrigerant handling licence – legally required to buy and handle aircon gas. Ours is AU13058. Any tech who cannot quote theirs should not be touching your system.
Can low gas damage the system permanently?
Yes – the compressor relies on refrigerant flow for cooling itself. Running low for months overheats it, and compressors are the one part where failure usually means replacing the unit.
How We Do a Regas Properly
Gauges on first - if the pressures are fine, you do not need gas and we tell you so. If they are low: pressure test, find the leak, quote the fix, repair, vacuum the system, then charge to measured superheat and subcooling. The reading-based charge matters - over and undercharging both hurt performance and the compressor. You get the numbers, not just an invoice.
Diagnosis Process
Think You Are Low on Gas?
A $250 plus GST service call puts gauges on it and gives you the straight answer - gas, airflow or electrical. Top-ups $200 to $350 once the leak is sorted. Since 1991, 4.8 stars from 280+ reviews. (02) 9820 4500.
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We measure, not guess
Sizes come from volume and glass, verdicts come from testing. No brochure numbers, no sight-unseen quotes.
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You get the numbers and the options
Real installed prices, repair-versus-replace maths, and the trade-offs in plain English. You decide with the facts in front of you.
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Fixed quote before any work
The price agreed is the price paid, and installs and repair parts carry lifetime workmanship warranty.
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Fixed quote before we fix
Once we know the fault, we quote the repair before we start. You decide. Most jobs get done same visit.
Real Jobs
Quoted a Regas Over the Phone?
Nobody can know your system needs gas without testing it – a sight-unseen regas quote is a sales call. Get the gauges-on diagnosis first and keep your money for the actual fix. (02) 9820 4500.
Licensed and Honest About It
ARCtick AU13058, NSW licence 273312C, $20M public liability. If the pressures are fine we say so and you keep your money. Family run since 1991.
Related reading: why your aircon is not cooling, when low gas means bigger decisions, and the official ARCtick licence lookup to check any tech, including us.
FAQ's
Regas - Common Questions
No – handling refrigerant without an ARCtick licence is illegal in Australia, and the gas is not legally sold to unlicensed buyers. It is also pointless without fixing the leak that caused the loss.
A top-up runs $200 to $350 depending on the gas and how low the system is. Leak find and repair is quoted after pressure testing. R22 systems are usually replacement conversations.
Fading cooling, icing on pipes or coil, longer run times, rising bills. Confirmation needs gauges – a $250 plus GST service call settles it definitively.
No. Car systems lose a little gas through their flexible hoses and seals over years; home systems are hard-piped and sealed. A home system losing gas has a fixable leak, full stop.
Jay’s Air – ARCtick AU13058, leak testing and repair before any gas goes in, charged to measured values. Family run since 1991, 4.8 stars from 280+ reviews. (02) 9820 4500.
Don’t run it hard for days on end. A struggling unit just cooks its own parts, and if it’s iced up it can kill the compressor. Switch it off, run through the quick checks, and book it in if it’s still warm.