Matt Peacock, MD of Star Tech Ltd in Poole, explains more about your car’s air conditioning system.

+++

You don’t know what you have until it’s gone!

This is so true when your vents no longer blow cold air on a hot summer’s day.

Don’t fret, here’s our quick guide to everything you need to know about recharging your car’s air con system.

Why recharge my car’s air con?

Firstly, to keep you cool, comfortable and healthy.

However, it will also help avoid costly repair bills.

The system’s refrigerant is extremely cold which helps cool down the air con compressor.

With little or no refrigerant, the compressor would get dangerously hot and fail, thus need replacing.

My air con smells musty.

A musty smell may be due to the evaporator in the system growing bacteria, mould and fungi.

While an air con recharge won’t help resolve this issue, our additional Forte Power Clean AC treatment kills bacterial build up and removes odours coming from the air vents, as discussed in last month’s article here.

Why does air con stop working?

Low refrigerant is the most common reason. This could be caused by a system leak or age. Worst case scenario is that the compressor has failed.

Who can carry out my air con recharge?

Not just any garage!

There are strict rules on who can carry out your recharge.

The law states a company MUST use the appropriately trained technicians certified to work on equipment containing F gases.

Our specialist technicians are certified to do this work.

Is air con part of my Service?

Air con recharges are not included in a standard service schedule set out by vehicle manufacturers.

Many manufacturers provide a separate air con service schedule which will recommend a re-gas, on average, every 2 years.

What’s involved in a recharge?

Recharging the air con system involves removing all of the refrigerant, pressure testing the system to check for leaks, removing all moisture and replacing with fresh refrigerant.

How long does an air con recharge take?

The process takes about 45 minutes to complete.

At our specialist independent service centre, you can have your air con recharged while you wait and take advantage of our free wi-fi, online magazines and hot drinks.

We specialise in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Smart & Mini.

Call our service team on 01202 694758 for further advice or to book in.

BEWARE CHEAP DEALS!

Cheap air con recharges should be considered very carefully.

Some garages, including well known retailers, will provide a ‘make do’ recharge, putting a small amount of gas in to get people on their way.

A short while later, it stops working again.

Make sure you know what you are buying.

July Offer – Air Con Recharge only £70 throughout July. Use code “DBNAC” when booking.