Many customers ask us how often they should replace the refrigerant in their chiller. They usually ask because their home air conditioner has been refilled before, and they assume chillers work the same way. But our chiller specialists always tell them the truth: cooling equipment does NOT need regular refrigerant replacement.

If your home AC had its refrigerant “changed” on a schedule, you probably met a dishonest technician.
This article explains what you really need to know about refrigerant.

Do You Need to Replace Chiller Refrigerant Regularly?

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Many people think refrigerant works like engine oil and has a service life. They often see “3–5 years” printed on refrigerant tanks and assume they must replace the refrigerant in their chiller after a few years.
 
That’s a misunderstanding.
 
Refrigerant is a chemically stable substance. It doesn’t break down or go bad over time. The reason tanks have a shelf life is simple: the containers are not perfectly sealed. During long storage, a small amount of refrigerant may leak out, or air may get inside and affect purity.
 
So the “expiration date” applies to the storage tank, not the refrigerant inside your chiller.
 
A chiller’s refrigeration circuit, on the other hand, is highly sealed—far better than any tank. As long as the system does not leak, you will never need to replace the refrigerant for the entire life of the chiller.

Why Do Technicians Sometimes Add Refrigerant?

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So why do we sometimes see technicians carrying tanks to fill chillers or air conditioners?

Because they are adding refrigerant, not replacing it.

This is not normal consumption. It only happens when a problem causes the refrigerant level to drop.

Leaks can happen if a joint becomes loose, a pipe cracks, or corrosion occurs. Low refrigerant levels reduce cooling performance and shorten equipment life. In this case, the system needs a refill to bring the refrigerant back to its normal amount.

Should You Replace the Refrigerant Instead of Just Topping It Up?

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You might wonder: if a leak lets refrigerant escape, doesn’t that mean air and moisture also get in? Why do technicians sometimes refill and sometimes replace everything?
 
It depends on the quality of the refrigerant that’s still inside the system.

When you MUST replace all refrigerant：

1.Air or moisture entered the system.

This happens when the leak is large and system pressure falls below atmospheric pressure. Once air or water vapor mixes into the circuit, the refrigerant becomes contaminated. Adding new refrigerant won’t fix the purity problem.
 
2.Only a tiny amount of refrigerant remains after long-term leakage.

Even if air didn’t enter, the leftover refrigerant may no longer have the right concentration or stability. Performance will drop. In this case, our service team recommends recovering the remaining charge and filling the system with new refrigerant.
 
If you’re unsure whether to replace or refill, remember one simple rule:
 
If the refrigerant that’s still inside is clean and usable, you don’t need a full replacement.

Choose a Reliable Chiller

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Refrigerant never needs scheduled replacement as long as the system stays sealed. To avoid leaks in the first place, choose a chiller built with high-quality materials and strong sealing.
 
The LNEYA team is always ready to help you design or customize the right chiller system for your application.