Does my refrigerator/freezer need freon?

Often when a refrigerator or freezer no longer cools properly, the first thing that is thought of is "it must be low on freon or refrigerant".

And over 95% of the time, the problem is not caused by lack of refrigerant. It is always assumed, that if the compressor is running, then there must be a leak. On older units (20 years old or more), this is a better possibility than unit's built since, de to the design of the condensors and door mullion warming techniques using refrigerant tubing routing.

But the last thing that you want a technician to do to a sealed system such as units on units like this is to break in to check the refrigerant. For the following reasons -

1) They contaminate the system , regardless how careful they are
2) They disrupt a very, very critical refrigerant charge that is hard to duplicate in the field.
3) It is unlikely that low refrigerant is the problem.

Many techs believe that a unit that is icing is low on refrigerant, when in fact, they are either overcharged, or, in the case of refrigerators or freezers, there is a problem with the defrost controls/circuit, or air flow through the freezer cabinet, or failed door gasket/air leakage into the refrigerator/freezer.

But a unit cannot get overcharged if no one can connect to it to charge it without special tools. So make sure your tech knows what he's doing, and has exhausted all other possibilities of failure before breaking into the refrigerant/freon systems.