Taylor Marl Soil Shifting Cracked Refrigerant Copper Line Set Flare Near Kelly Lane Pflugerville

Ryan_H_RoweLane Homeowner

Posted in Pflugerville Homeowner Forum • Travis County

Question: We bought a home near Kelly Lane and Rowe Lane. Over the summer, our concrete equipment pad tilted 3 inches toward the foundation due to dry soil contraction. Shortly after, the AC lost cooling and an oily residue appeared on the copper pipes. Can ground movement cause refrigerant leaks?

✓ VERIFIED PRACTIONER DIAGNOSIS

Travis_H_EPA_Universal Texas TDLR Senior Diagnostics Tech

Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation Certified

Differential soil subsidence pulled the condenser pad away from the wall penetrations, placing shear stress on the 3/8-inch liquid line brass flare nut until it cracked and vented refrigerant.

Diagnostic Procedure & Field Restoration:

High-plasticity Taylor Marl clay soil contracted 4 inches during 105-degree summer drought.
The 3-inch pad tilt pulled rigid copper line set tight against exterior brick weep holes.
Electronic sniffer located high-concentration R-410A leakage directly at the stressed service valve flare connection.
Level-shimmed the equipment pad, brazed in an expansion loop (vibration loop) to absorb future ground shifts, pressurized to 400 PSI nitrogen, and recharged system to factory specifications.

Experiencing this exact symptom in Pflugerville?

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