Should you get a second opinion before replacing aircon piping?
Yes. New piping or a new system costs far more than repairing a leak, and most leaks are at one flare joint or valve that can be fixed. Before you agree, ask to see exactly where each leak is and how it was found. If nobody can show you, get a second opinion with a leak detector first.
Key takeaways
- Most leaks are repairable: a worn flare joint or a leaking valve is fixed, not replaced with new piping.
- "Multiple leaks" needs proof: ask to see every leak point before paying for new pipes.
- New piping is for damaged pipe: it makes sense when the pipe is crushed or corroded along its length, not for one bad joint.
- You should be shown the leak: with a detector and a bubble test, the spot is visible.
In the video above, Uncle Eric runs our infrared gas leak check: the result is instant, with no pressure test, and a leak found this way can be shown to you straight away.
Five questions to ask before you pay
- Where exactly is each leak? A real finding has a location: a joint, a valve, a section of pipe.
- How was it found? A detector and a bubble test show the spot. A pressure drop alone does not; read why we do not use pressure tests to find leaks.
- Can you show me? Ask for a photo or video of the bubbles at each leak point.
- Can the joint or valve be repaired instead? Most can. Ask why not, if the answer is no.
- Is the whole run damaged, or one spot? New piping makes sense when the pipe is damaged along its length, not for one bad joint.
If the answers are vague, stop and get a second opinion. Our aircon gas leak repair starts by finding and showing you the leak. To book a check, message Luna on WhatsApp.
Where do aircons usually leak?
Where | How common | Usually repairable? |
|---|---|---|
Flare joints | The most common spot | Yes: the flare is cut off and remade |
Service valves on the outdoor unit | Common | Yes: repaired or replaced |
Copper pipe that is flattened or kinked | After installation or renovation | Yes: the damaged section is repaired |
Coil with pinhole corrosion | On older units | Sometimes: the coil may need replacing |
Pipes hidden in trunking or a ceiling | Less common, hard to reach | Usually, once reached; quoted first |
In one of our jobs, a Daikin flare joint in an attic was leaking. It was remade on the spot, with no new piping: read the Daikin attic leak.
How does our second opinion work?
We measure the gas, then run infrared and ultrasonic detectors over the outdoor unit, every flare joint, the valves and the indoor units. When we find a leak, a bubble test shows you the spot. Then we quote the repair before any work starts, and you decide. If none of the reachable parts leak, we tell you so and explain the options for the concealed pipes.
Why are multi-split systems harder to check?
On a System 2, 3 or 4, one outdoor unit feeds every room, so there are more joints and more places to check. In many homes the pipes run through trunking or a false ceiling, so ask to see each leak before agreeing to new piping. A careful check of each reachable joint shows whether it is one leak or several.
What it costs
Job | Price | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
S$165 | When you are not sure the gas is the problem | |
Infrared leak check, 1 to 3 units | S$580 | If the gas is fine, the balance after the work done is kept for future services |
Infrared leak check, 4 to 5 units | S$880 | Number of units and pipe runs |
Leak repair | Quoted before any work | Where the leak is and how easy it is to reach |
For more on prices, read what an aircon gas leak repair costs.
When to call a technician
Call us before you agree to new piping or a new system after a leak test, or when you have been told there are leaks nobody has shown you. If you are not sure gas is the cause, read why an aircon is not cold.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for an aircon to have multiple gas leaks?
It happens, but it is not common. Most leaks are at one flare joint or service valve. If you are told there are several, ask to see each one before you agree to replace the piping.
When does new piping really make sense?
When the pipes are crushed, kinked or corroded along their length, or rubbed through in several places, often after renovation work. A single bad joint or valve is repaired, not replaced with new piping.
Do I have to replace the whole aircon if it leaks?
Usually not. A leak at a joint, valve or reachable pipe is repaired. On an older system with a corroded coil that keeps leaking, we talk you through whether a repair or a new system makes more sense.
How much does a second opinion cost?
If you are not sure the gas is the problem, start with our S$165 gas check and top-up. If the gas has run low before, our infrared leak check is S$580 for 1 to 3 units, and we show you where the leak is.
Eric Lim, aka Uncle EricFounder of iAircon.Repair, now in its 10th year servicing aircons in Singapore. Every job is filmed, so you can watch the work on YouTube.
