Aircon regas
What does our service consist of?
We connect a specialist machine which will drain the gas (refrigerant) present in your system, carry out an analysis of the gas and then recover the old oil. The system is then held under vacuum. Many people think it’s just a way to check for leaks – in fact the main reason is to evacuate any residual moisture. It is important to hold the vacuum long enough – if rushed, this step can fail to remove moisture from the system and the fresh PAG oil will get contaminated quickly. The next phase consists of injecting the correct quantity of gas. We make sure the air conditioning works effectively and record the temperature from the centre vent. We then install a sticker to remind you when the next air conditioning service is due and you are good to go.
Aircon repairs
We also offer an anti-bacterial treatment which is designed to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria and eradicate unpleasant smell in the car. We carry out the appropriate products in stock.
We can also replace the pollen (cabin air) filter in your vehicle. This is usually replaced every two years if you follow the Manufacturer’s recommended service regime. A dirty pollen filter will reduce the air flow, put extra strain on the heater fan and cause the interior of the vehicle to mist up quickly. Since nearly every model of car or van has a dedicated pollen (or cabin air) filter, this needs to be ordered in advance.
In the event of there being no gas left at all, there is likely a leak which would allow the gas to escape out of the system. In that case we will give you two options – to leave the vehicle as it is and charge you a call-out fee* or to carry out a leak test*. The leak test is designed to allow us to establish which part of the system is faulty. It may be as simple as a faulty valve (the gas is injected through valves similar to those on a car or bicycle wheel), the condenser (the radiator-like part on the front of the car which may get damaged by a little stone etc., any of the hoses or even the compressor or evaporator (radiator-like part inside the heater box under the dashboard).
Once the cause is established, we can prepare a quote to rectify the fault and, if accepted, depending on parts availability, we may be able to get your aircon fixed in a matter of hours or days.
*please check our price list section for details
Refrigerant leaks
Please note that unless you have had accident damage repaired and the condenser was replaced but the system not charged, we will NOT fill a vehicle which has a leak causing all the gas to escape – it is both illegal and pointless – the gas WILL escape if there is a big leak – even if the vehicle holds the vacuum for an hour or more. The vacuum is set to 1bar, the pressure of filled system hets up to 10 bar on the high pressure side so a successful vacuum test does not mean the system hasn’t got a leak! The R134A gas (commonly used from 1995 until 2017 and even in newer cars) takes thirteen years to degrade when it escapes into the atmosphere, where the new R1234YF will break down after 11 hours. The R134A is classified as a greenhouse effect gas and use is strictly governed.
More A/C information
It is very likely that you have arrived at this page because your air conditioning stopped working and the interior of your car is boiling hot in the summer or your windows are misting up in the winter.
If you have a few minutes to spare, we invite you to read the information below. It will explain why, unlike a fridge, a car air conditioning system needs regular maintenance.
Most car manufacturers recommend carrying an air conditioning service every two years. There is a very good reason behind it – car air conditioning, which operates in a similar way to a conventional fridge works in a different environment to the fridge. The components are subject to vibrations, changes of ambient temperatures (e.g. in the winter the car sits outside in the freezing cold and then some of the components are subject to heat from the running engine before being cooled down to sub-zero temperatures again. Where fridges have rigid metal pipes, cars need flexible rubber hoses, joints with rubber seals etc. It is not uncommon for a car to lose approximately 50-100g of refrigerant a year. With an average car running with around 450-750g of gas in the system, depending on model, over two to three years the level of gas may drop resulting in the air conditioning not working. As the gas escapes, moisture from the air may enter the system. Air conditioning compressor (in cars manufactured from around 1995) is lubricated by a special synthetic oil (PAG oil) – when moisture is mixed into the oil, parts of the compressor may start to corrode – leading to the compressor leaking gas due to corrosion and expensive repair bills.
We recommend carrying out an anti-bacterial treatment of the vehicle which is designed to kill harmful bacteria in the car air conditioning system, especially on the evaporator (the radiator-like part under the dashboard). It is important as the air you and your family breathe inside the car passes past this part. This takes an additional 15 minutes.
Most people know how important it is to change the engine oil or bake fluid – few of us are aware how important it is to maintain a correct level of gas in the air conditioning system, change the oil designed to lubricate the compressor and remove moisture from the system. Curiously, most manufacturers recommend an air conditioning service every two years but do not include it as part of the service – they charge extra.
There is a common misconception that air conditioning is needed only in the summer. Apart from cooling the air, the air conditioning dehumidifies the interior and helps to demist the windows quickly. Also – using the air conditioning regularly, even for a short period, allows the oil to circulate in the system and helps lubricate the connections, the compressor seal etc.
A lot of customers are concerned about the increase in fuel consumption caused by use of air conditioning and prefer to open their windows instead. As it happens, driving with the windows open has an adverse effect on fuel efficiency, usually exceeding the effect of using a/c. Modern vehicles are extensively tested in wind tunnels to achieve the lowest possible drag coefficient (Cx) – however opening the windows increases the drag and this usually increases the fuel consumption far more than simply switching the air conditioning on.
City & Guilds qualified
Relevant City & Guilds qualified to carry out work on automotive air conditioning systems as well as residential, commercial and industrial air conditioning.
AREA COVERED
We cover a radius of 10 miles from Beeston, Nottingham – we may travel further afield but a small fuel supplement may be required please call to discuss.
We cover Nottingham City, Beeston, Wollaton, Lenton, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Derby and many more
MULTI-CAR DISCOUNT
If you have more than one vehicle in the household and would like to carry out the air conditioning service and recharge on an extra car or van, the price of the second and subsequent cars will be reduced by £10.
R134A Prices
R134A re-gas
vehicles taking up to 500g of gas £50
vehicles taking between 501g and 700g of gas £60
vehicles taking between 701g and 900g of gas £70
vehicles taking between 901g and 1100g of gas £80
(most modern vehicles in the UK take between 450 and 800g of gas)
R1234yf prices
R1234yf regas (new type of gas used in latest vehicles – manufacturers began introducing it in new models in 2015/16 – there are many 2016 and 2017 and even newer cars still using the older R134A gas)
vehicles taking up to 500g of gas £135
vehicles taking between 501g and 650g of gas £155
vehicles taking between 651g and 800g of gas £175
Prices – other services
Please check our other services below
Air conditioning anti-bacterial and deodorising treatment £15
Nitrogen leak testing. We would fill the system with nitrogen – a gas which is not harmful and it occurs naturally – in fact about 78% of air on earth is made up of Nitrogen so when it escapes from the air conditioning system it makes no harm at all. This will allow us to inspect where the gas is escaping and establish the correct course of action – it may be a seal that is faulty, one of the filler valves, the condenser (the single most common cause of refrigerant loss in vehicles) or even the evaporator under the dashboard. Nitrogen leak testing £45.
Pollen filter replacement – from £30 including filter cost and labour charge.
Please note that depending on the filter chosen (there are usually three types – a standard mechanical filter, a mechanical filter with active carbon and a mechanical and antibacterial filter) and the make and model of the car, the price may vary dramatically. For example a 2009 Renault Megane requires removal of the clutch pedal to replace the filter whilst other vehicles have this filter easily accessible. If the vehicle is used in very dusty conditions, replacement may be required more frequently, even once a year (e.g. pick-up vehicles used by farmers, vans used on construction sites etc).
Call-out charge applicable if there is a leak in the system and you decide not to have a Nitrogen leak test carried out. It is illegal to regas a vehicle which clearly has a leak in the system as R134A is known to have adverse effect on the climate (whilst it doesn’t deplete the ozone layer, it is classified as a greenhouse effect gas). Call-out charge is £20
If you have more than one vehicle in the household and would like to carry out the air conditioning service and recharge on an extra car or van, the price of the second and subsequent cars will be reduced by £10.
Diagnostic checks
We can carry out diagnostic checks on most vehicles using state-of-the-art Snap-on equipment. We can investigate an engine management light, ABS warning light, SRS (airbag) warning light and others. We can carry out a forced DPF regeneration on numerous makes of diesel cars.
We do not use illegal Chinese copies of diagnostic tools – we rely on the original. We can carry out diagnostic checks on most vehicles using state-of-the-art Snap-on equipment. We can investigate an engine management light, ABS warning light, SRS (airbag) warning light, TPMS warning light and many others.
We can carry out a forced DPF regeneration on numerous models of diesel cars. We do not use illegal Chinese copies of diagnostic tools – we rely on the original.
Diagnostic checks start at £30
Contact us
Please feel free to call us on 07729 11 79 79
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