Every fault below comes from real call-outs across Durban and surrounding areas. Some have a quick check you can try yourself before booking anyone — where that's true, we say so. When a visit is needed, the diagnosis is done with a signal meter, quoted before work starts, and covered by our 12-month workmanship warranty. New to this part? Start with the refrigerant circuit & gas lines component guide.
1. Aircon slowly stops cooling over a season
What you'll see: Cooling that was fine last summer is noticeably weaker this one. The unit runs longer to reach the same temperature, and eventually never quite gets there.
Why it happens: A slow leak, usually at a flare joint, a chafed pipe run or a corroded coil. Refrigerant is never consumed, so a gradual decline in performance over months almost always means gas is escaping somewhere.
How we fix it: We pressure-test with nitrogen and trace the leak rather than simply refilling. Once the joint or section is repaired we vacuum the circuit to remove moisture and air, then weigh in the exact charge specified for that unit.
Full aircon slowly stops cooling over a season troubleshooting guide →
2. Ice forming on the copper pipes at the outdoor unit
What you'll see: Visible frost or ice on the thin copper line where it enters the outdoor unit, often with poor cooling indoors.
Why it happens: Low refrigerant charge or restricted airflow across the indoor coil. Both drop the evaporating pressure far enough that the line temperature falls below freezing and moisture in the air condenses and freezes on it.
How we fix it: We check filters and indoor airflow first, since a blocked filter is the cheaper and more common cause, then measure system pressures and superheat to establish whether the charge is genuinely low before touching the gas.
Full ice forming on the copper pipes at the outdoor unit troubleshooting guide →
Symptom doesn't match any of these?
Faults overlap — a "refrigerant circuit & gas lines problem" is sometimes another link in the chain wearing a disguise. Describe what your system is doing on 069 507 6822 (or WhatsApp a photo of the error screen) and we'll tell you which component it actually sounds like, free, before anything is booked.