FAQs

Vehicle air conditioning and climate control systems are a very important part of any vehicle and requires regular maintenance and servicing to keep it at peak performance. The two main causes of failure in the air conditioning system is lack of gas (via leaks at the system seals) and component breakdown. Low refrigerant means low lubricant which is contained in the refrigerant, and this can lead to seals drying out, thus losing even more refrigerant leading to the failure of the compressor and other vital parts which could cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds in repair costs. Most local garages do not deal with vehicle air conditioning system’s as specialist equipment and expertise are required. Even main dealers will call in air con specialist’s like us for the more complex jobs.
The dominant vehicle air conditioning refrigerant/gas has come under scrutiny recently due to it’s high GWP(global warming potential). New EU legislation regulations have dictated that an alternative must be found at least for the European automotive market. Leading contenders in the synthetic sphere appear to be the drop-in replacements recently developed HFO-1234yf and R744. Both of these gases are potential replacements for the current R134a gas but have some flammability concerns but cause no ozone depletion and significantly reduced global warming potential in comparison to R134a. So the vehicle air conditioning sector is now going through a process of change from the current gas R134a to the more environmentally friendly R1234YF the only downside is the new gas is still very expensive.

At least 30 minutes, anything less means that the job is not being done correctly.

It varies with make and model. The refrigerant is metered by weight and a small car may take half a kilo, a luxury car with climate control may take one and a half kilos.
Every 18 months to 2 years to ensure it operates at maximum efficiency. If you let the system run low on refrigerant the compressor has to work twice as hard and will therefore wear out in half the time.
All the time on hot or cold depending on the outside temperature. This will ensure that the rubber seals and gaskets in your system don’t dry out and crack thereby causing leaks. Run your system for a few minutes every week at the very least. Contrary to popular belief it does not greatly reduce your mpg.
It’s micro organisms that collect on the evaporator behind the dashboard and the fan blows these nasties into your face causing allergic reactions, coughs, sneezes and sore throats. We can treat your aircon system and kill them off.

Don’t use them for two reasons.

1. They are potentially dangerous and you could injure yourself.

2. Your aircon system will contain moisture and contaminants that you will re-circulate throughout all the aircon pipes and components.

We remove all moisture and contaminants as part of our service schedule prior to re-gassing. This process alone takes 20-30 minutes.

Start the engine and lift the bonnet, turn the aircon onto maximum cold and maximum fan blower speed. The air from the vents should be almost freezing cold within a minute or so. Go to the front of the car and listen for the compressor clutch clicking in and out and an accompanying slight rise and fall in engine revs. The compressor is driven by a belt at the front of the engine and is about the same size as the alternator. If all this happens then the a/c is working OK.

All the pipes and connections on your aircon system are naturally slightly porous so you lose anything up to 20% of the gas every year due to natural leakage and usage.

No, the modern refrigerant is called R134a, is not harmful to health and is not an explosive gas. It is also environmentally friendly unlike the old refrigerant gas R12 which was phased out from 1993.
We are based in Stratford, and cover East London and surrounded areas.