Can you service an HVAC system with leak seal in it?
Stop leak products can gum up recovery machines, valves, and gauges, leading technicians to give conflicting advice ranging from attempting a recharge to replacing the entire system. Because leak seal reacts with moisture and components inside sealed lines, many pros refuse to work on treated systems, leaving homeowners stuck between expensive full replacements and unserviceable cooling.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Can you service an HVAC system with leak seal in it?
- 1Paying for a diagnostic pull down to see if the system holds pressureDid this help you?
- 2Replacing the entire system or affected components due to the presence of stop leakDid this help you?
- 3inspecting and clearing clogged condensation lines themselvesDid this help you?
- 4calling a local mom and pop shop for a yearly tune-up or professional inspectionDid this help you?
- 5ordered a gas detector to locate the leak independentlyDid this help you?
- 6shut off the gas line from the attic to the systemDid this help you?
- 7calling another HVAC companyDid this help you?
- 8purchasing a new HVAC systemDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I noticed a funky smell when I walk passed it and called them to sent a tech out. The tech said they don't smell anything and left.”source ↗
“I ordered a gas detector and found the leak.”source ↗
“We have been living in our house with a gas leak for days. I'm pretty pissed off”source ↗
“Fast forward to now - the pipe is still leaking :/”source ↗
“Can I get any of my $13k back since they promised me this would fix it?? I would NEVER have purchased this now had they not promised it would fix the leak.”source ↗
“I feel so taken advantage of… and I’m going to be paying on this for years :/”source ↗
“R410a system that had a evap pin hole leaks all over. It was leak sealed 3 years ago. The system now cant pull down past 78F with 98F outside temp.”source ↗
“Ive had two techs out one tech wants to pull down the system and see how it holds and go from there. But i dont think you can pull down a system with stop leak in it?”source ↗
“The other wants to replace everything saying once stop leak is in the system you cant pull it down and recharge.”source ↗
“Just changed my air filter and noticed these stains on one of the edges.”source ↗
“Is this more of an immediate thing I should have looked at? I don’t know that my AC will run much more this season, but also don’t want things in there to get worse and cost more later.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6Should I replace my HVAC system if the evaporator coil leaks?
- 3Why is water pooling inside my furnace?
- 28What to do when an HVAC installation fails inspection
- 3Why a clogged drain line diagnosis doesn't make sense
- 5Will servicing an old HVAC unit break it?
- 7New HVAC unit won't heat and makes clicking sounds