Air conditioning.
Air conditioning should be checked every 2 years and used frequently throughout the year (even in cold, winter weather) to make sure pipes aren’t left to corrode and that seals do not dry out and leak the gas to atmosphere. Some modern cars will automatically turn on the air conditioning when you set off in icy conditions. Leave it to run for half an hour or so; it will help defrost the car and keep things moving so the air conditioning works smoothly when summer rolls around.

A pressure test is carried out to confirm the integrity of the air conditioning system and whether any refrigerant is still present. No appointment is necessary for this test; it is a “drop-in”, “while you wait” service and takes approximately 10 minutes.

A/C Re-Charge ­from £40.00 + V.A.T.
A re-charge includes the following operations:-

Recovery
Removal of old refrigerant.

System evacuation.
This process will clean and remove particles and moisture from the system to enable correct operation once re-charged.
Add compressor oil as necessary.
Re-charge system to manufactures specified quantity.

System Test.
Apply De-odouriser/Anit-Bacterial spray to ventilation system.

The re-charge process takes approximately 45 – 60 minutes.

A/C System Repairs.
If a major leak is detected in the system a re-charge cannot be carried out. A price for repairs followed by a re-charge can be estimated for. Anti-Bacterial System Clean Treats the problem of bacteria building up in the a/c vents and eliminating a/c smells. Replacement of the pollen/cabin filter is also advisable.


F-Gas Regulations 4 July 2010
From 4 July 2010, only Technicians holding the minimum safe handling of refrigerants qualification approved by DEFRA will be permitted to work on the gas element of the Air Conditioning systems. Autocraft have invested a considerable sum in the training of 50% of their work force in order to comply with the new regulations.

Please note that the Gas currently used in modern day Vehicle Air Conditioning system (R134A) which has a GWP of 1300 is no longer manufactured.
By 2017, any new vehicles fitted with Air Conditioning will need to be charged with an alternative (HFO1234yf) due to its GWP which is only 4.
When the stocks of this gas have been exhausted your vehicles system will not run on the new gas therefore you will have no Air Conditioning.
If you keep your system serviced regularly then you will have the luxury of your Air Conditioning system for the years to come.