If an air conditioner in Dubai runs all afternoon and still feels warm, the technician may offer an AC gas top-up. That is worth a second look before you agree. A top-up puts the gas back, but it does not find or stop a leak. Tessa Technical Services, a Dubai home and office maintenance company, says on its website that refrigerant is not consumed while a unit cools, so low gas always means a leak, and that a top-up without a leak repair postpones the same bill.
This guide explains how to tell whether a low charge points to a leak, what a proper check involves, and what to ask for before you pay for any gas.
Why refrigerant should not run out
Air conditioners cool by moving heat with refrigerant. The U.S. Department of Energy's home cooling guide describes cooling coils that remove heat and humidity from the air, and a compressor that moves refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. The DOE guide sets out those parts and what each one does, and it is a useful read before you talk to any technician.
On Tessa's account, the refrigerant is not consumed as the unit runs, so it should not need replacing between services. When a unit is short of it, the sensible question is where the gas went, not how much to add. A technician who answers only the second question has not yet explained the fault, and you are left paying for the same gas again later.
Rule out the simple causes first
Not every weak cooling problem is a gas problem. Tessa names three usual causes of an air conditioner that is not cooling: a clogged filter, low refrigerant from a slow leak, and a failed capacitor. The DOE guide says a clogged filter restricts airflow through the unit and reduces its ability to cool the air, so check the filter before accepting a refrigerant diagnosis.
What low refrigerant looks like
Tessa lists a unit that is not cooling but still running among its common problems, alongside blowing warm air, ice on the coil and weak airflow. The DOE guide lists low or leaking refrigerant as one reason a unit is not cooling, and it advises calling a trained technician to repair the leak and recharge the system.
Tessa's website puts the point directly. Low gas always means a leak, because refrigerant is not consumed. Topping up without repairing the leak postpones the same bill. Trace the leak first, and quote the complete fix in writing.
Why the leak matters beyond cooling
A leak matters for two reasons.
First, a clogged filter is not the only thing that stops a unit cooling. The DOE guide notes that a clogged filter restricts airflow, which decreases the unit's efficiency and its ability to cool the air, which is why the filter check above comes before any gas decision.
Second, the leaked gas itself matters. Some air conditioners use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that HFCs are sometimes called high-GWP gases because, for a given amount of mass, they trap substantially more heat than CO2. The EPA explains global warming potentials here.
What a proper check involves
Tessa's AC repair service, as its website describes it, includes fault diagnosis, refrigerant leak detection and gas top-up. The technician tests refrigerant pressures, electrical components and airflow, and approved work is then tested against the original complaint.
A leak has to be found before it can be sealed, and a top-up on its own says nothing about where the gas went.
What you can check before the visit
A few things take a minute and give the technician a better starting point:
- Look at the filter. A clogged one restricts airflow, per the DOE guide.
- Note the symptoms. Warm air, ice on the coil or weak airflow are all on Tessa's list of common problems.
- Note how the unit is behaving. Running but not cooling points to the three usual causes above: filter, slow leak or capacitor.
- Check for water. Dripping from the indoor unit is a separate fault; see what to do about AC leaking water.
What to ask for before you pay for gas
Tessa Technical Services' own website sets out the points below. Whoever you hire, ask for the same things:
- Where is the leak, and how was it found? Trace the leak first.
- What is the complete fix, and is it in writing? Ask for a fixed written quote on site before any work starts; if the scope changes, the company stops and re-quotes.
- What does the inspection cost? Tessa charges a fixed AED 150 inspection fee, credited to the final invoice when you approve the written quote.
- Does a part have to be ordered? The company says so before the quote is approved and agrees the return visit.
- Is replacement the better buy? Tessa says that, as a rule of thumb, a unit past 8 to 10 years needing repeated gas top-ups, or with a lost compressor, is often cheaper to replace, and its technician prices both on site.
For the company's own account of how it handles a low charge, read the Tessa Technical Services website directly.
Why there is no flat rate
Tessa says it does not work to a flat repair rate: what a job costs follows from what is found, so the written quote matters more than a figure given over the phone. If you decline, you have still bought a proper diagnosis.
Repeated top-ups: per-repair or planned visits
For a reader whose unit keeps needing attention, Tessa describes a one-off job as beginning with the AED 150 inspection, "fair for a single fault, costly as a habit". It offers an Annual Maintenance Contract with three plans, Basic, Value and Premium, which replaces that cycle with planned visits scheduled ahead rather than booked reactively. Each visit follows a documented checklist that covers AC filters, drain lines and cooling performance on all plans.
Which units and properties this applies to
Tessa says its AC repair covers split, ducted, central and package units, in apartments, villas and offices, across the UAE with a Dubai head office. Named communities include Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, JVC, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Hills Estate, Al Barsha and Mirdif, as well as Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The scope also lists compressor, capacitor, fan motor, PCB and thermostat repair or replacement, so a technician who finds the leak is not the only fault to price. Ask which of these the quote covers, and whether the same visit checks them. Knowing the scope up front also helps you compare two quotes on equal terms, because one may price only the gas while another prices the leak repair and the parts that go with it.
AC gas top-up Dubai: when a top-up is the right step
Tessa's website says a top-up without a leak repair postpones the same bill. Adding gas to a leaking unit moves the cost to a later date and leaves the cause in place.
For the wider picture on running a home more efficiently, see how to make your home more energy efficient, and compare greener cooling choices on Just Green before you decide.
Disclosure: Tessa Technical Services did not write, commission or review this article. Its facts come from the company's own website. Just Green has not tested the service and does not endorse it.