Four-year-old LG Losing Gas: High-floor Wind Corroding The Pipes

• •Concern: Client did not expect corrosion issues on a unit that was only four years old
• •Previous advice: Homeowner assumed low gas was a servicing issue and requested a top-up
• •Key check: Visual inspection showed advanced corrosion on outdoor connections disproportionate to the unit's age. Consistent with unshielded high-floor exposure

A gas loss pattern on a relatively new unit suggested either a factory-side issue or accelerated environmental wear. The balcony placement on a high floor was an immediate area of interest.

• •Refrigerant pressure was below normal operating range despite recent top-up.
• •Outdoor unit was mounted on an open high-floor balcony with no overhead cover.
• •Pipe connections showed corrosion and oxidation more advanced than expected for a four-year-old unit.
• •Bubble test confirmed active leak at the gas line connection on the outdoor unit.
• •Indoor unit flare joints showed no signs of leakage.

The outdoor unit was fully exposed to wind-driven rain on a high-floor balcony. Without any overhead cover or barrier, moisture collected around the pipe connections more frequently and in greater volume than a sheltered installation. This accelerated corrosion at the connection joints. At four years old, the corrosion was already at a stage typically seen on units aged six to eight years in more protected positions. The LG error code CH35 flagged low-pressure protection, consistent with refrigerant loss.

We welded the leaking connection and recharged the system. Because the corrosion was caught relatively early and had not spread across a wide area, a weld repair was viable. We also recommended installing a weather shield over the outdoor unit to reduce future moisture exposure. The homeowner agreed to both the repair and the shield. We noted that the connections should be inspected annually given the exposure level, and that the weld may need monitoring over the coming years.

The leak was welded, the system recharged, and a weather shield installed over the outdoor unit to reduce direct rain exposure. Cooling has been stable since, with a follow-up inspection scheduled.

Why high-floor outdoor units corrode faster.

• •Outdoor units on upper floors face stronger wind speeds and more direct rain exposure than sheltered ground-level or ledge installations.
• •Wind drives moisture into connection areas that would normally stay relatively dry in a sheltered position.
• •Corrosion timelines shorten significantly when the unit has no overhead cover or wind barrier.
• •A weather shield or cover over the outdoor unit can slow corrosion, though it does not eliminate it entirely.