HACR refrigerant circuits are hermetically sealed and, in theory should
never need to have refrigerant added. However, in practical applications
components fail, vibration adds stress to mechanically sealed linesets, the
installer may have practiced less than ideal brazing standards, manufacturer
seals fail....a host of variables can determine whether the system will
suffer refrigerant loss or not. Given that preface, and I may have
misunderstood your post, but I interpreted it to say you were told that
simply because the system had iced you were told by some hack that it needed
replaced? If I interpreted that wrong...my apologies.....interpreted
correctly though I wouldn't let whom ever told you that anywhere around the
equipment again. Systems ice up all over the world everyday, for a variety
of reasons. Contact a competent service provider. They will locate and
correct the source of loss, evacuate the system and recharge it. If the
person meant that the refrigerant would have to be replaced he is correct.
Following correction of leak source and evacuation.






"user" wrote in message
...
Hi Home Repair Gurus..

Is it normal for an brand new AC unit (installed in a newly built home)
to require replacing about half the freeon (say about 2 pounds worth)
after about 6 years..

My AC recently stopped blowing cool air (even though the fan is on),
even after replacing the filter, and the AC tech said that there was
some freezing that had occurred due to a lack of freeon, and that it had
to be replaced..

Thanks