An AC refrigerant recharge in 2026 typically costs $200 to $600 for a small top-up (1–3 pounds) of R-410A and $450 to $900 for a full evacuation and recharge, with R-410A running roughly $40–$90 per pound at homeowner service pricing (higher in some markets as supply tightens), new-system R-454B a similar or slightly higher per-pound rate, and legacy R-22 $100–$200 per pound when it can be found — but the number that matters more is the leak repair, because a sealed system that needs refrigerant has a leak, and recharging without fixing it buys weeks, not years.
Typical costs
| Service | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic / leak search | $75 – $300 (electronic or dye leak detection may add) |
| R-410A, per pound | $40 – $90+ |
| R-410A top-up (1–3 lb) | $200 – $600 |
| R-410A full evacuation and recharge (6–9 lb typical 3-ton) | $450 – $900 |
| R-454B (2025+ systems), per pound | $60 – $90 |
| R-22 (pre-2010 systems), per pound | $100 – $200 (reclaimed) |
| Leak repair (Schrader valve, flare, brazed joint) + recharge | $600 – $1,800 |
| Coil replacement (common leak site) + recharge | $1,200 – $2,800 |
Why the leak comes first
Refrigerant doesn’t get used up. If a system is low, it leaked, and it will keep leaking. A recharge without a repair is a temporary and increasingly expensive patch, and running low on charge also risks the compressor. Insist on a leak search: electronic sniffer, UV dye, nitrogen pressure test, or bubble test at joints. Small leaks at valves and flares are cheap to fix; coil leaks on aging systems are the expensive kind and often prompt the repair-or-replace question.
The R-410A price trend
R-410A is still legal to service but production is being cut in steps under the federal HFC phasedown, and its price has climbed sharply from a few years ago; new systems use R-454B or R-32. Practically: refrigerant-side repairs on 2010–2024 systems now cost noticeably more, and will keep rising, which tilts big repairs on older systems toward replacement. Refrigerants aren’t interchangeable; no one can put R-454B into your R-410A system. The transition explained.
R-22 systems
Pre-2010 equipment on R-22 relies on reclaimed supply at $100–$200 a pound; a leak repair and recharge on one often costs a large fraction of a new system. R-22 systems needing refrigerant work are almost always a replace.
What to ask
How do you charge for refrigerant (per pound, or bundled)? What leak-detection method will you use? What are the superheat/subcooling readings before and after? If the leak is in the coil, what’s the coil cost versus a replacement quote? If your coil is icing, start with AC freezing up; other repair prices are in the repair cost guide. Every contractor on the North Carolina registry shows the license status we found; refrigerant work must be done by EPA 608-certified technicians.