Ducted and central recharge
AC refrigerant charging in Al Shifa
In Al Shifa, south Jeddah, multi-storey residential buildings with central AC need exact pressure readings before any refrigerant work. Our team checks actual unit performance and determines whether cooling loss is from a leak or distribution imbalance across flats.
- Accurate pressure readings
- Charge recovery
- Nameplate-type charge
Clients We're Proud to Serve
Organisations and companies that trusted Alrabih with their projects.
When your system needs a refrigerant charge
- 1
Uneven cooling across zones
One office or floor feels hot while the rest of the building is cool. Before adding any refrigerant, the technician reads pressures and temperatures at several points to confirm that a low charge is actually the cause.
- 2
After a repair or component swap
Replacing a compressor, a valve or any part that opens the circuit means the old charge escapes. It must be recovered with a dedicated machine, then the line is vacuumed and recharged after the repair is done.
- 3
A system restarted after long shutdown
A central or rooftop unit shut down for a full season in Jeddah's salty coastal air may have lost part of its charge. We verify with pressure readings before adding anything, and look for a leak if the readings point to one.
Who it's for
Your villa's ducted system has lost its cooling
We read system pressures and line temperatures, find any leak in the long pipe runs, then vacuum and charge to the refrigerant type on the unit nameplate.
Ask on WhatsAppYour building's rooftop unit cools unevenly across floors
We inspect the system and its drawings, measure pressures and temperatures at multiple points to find the cause, then recover the old charge if a repair is needed and recharge to the nameplate type only.
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What the charging work covers
- Suction and discharge pressure readings
- Liquid and suction line temperatures
- Old refrigerant charge recovery
- Line vacuum before recharging
- Charge to nameplate refrigerant type
How we work
How we work
- 1
System check and readings
The technician checks the unit nameplate and system drawings, then reads suction and discharge pressures and line temperatures to judge the actual charge condition.
- 2
Find and fix the leak
If readings show a low charge, the technician finds the leak in the long line set, joints or components, and repairs it before any refrigerant is added.
- 3
Recovery and vacuum
The remaining old charge is recovered with a dedicated recovery machine, then a vacuum pump removes all air and moisture from the line before the new charge goes in.
- 4
Charge and verify
The system is charged with the refrigerant type on the nameplate only, never mixed with another type, then pressures are read again and cooling is checked across all zones.
Careful charge or a random top-up?
| Alrabih | The usual way | |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosing the cause | Pressures and temperatures first | Add refrigerant straight away |
| The leak | Found and fixed before charging | Left to repeat the problem |
| Old charge | Recovered by machine | Vented to atmosphere |
| Refrigerant type | Nameplate type, no mixing | Whatever is to hand |
| Long line sets | Joints checked along the full run | Checked at the unit only |
Everything your AC needs, from one team
From system design and duct fabrication to installation, commissioning and maintenance.
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Some of our work
Ductwork, rooftop units and diffusers, from work we've completed in Jeddah.
Customer reviews
What our customers say
- Muhammadramzan 2641
“MashaaAllah. Services are so good. Behaviour and kindness 100/100. Prices are less then Market. Fully recommended”
- shahzeb armani
“Wow. Prices are so comfortable. Outstanding services. People are so talented and nice”
- Tawfik AlyawerLocal Guide
“U can find all u need for air conditioning”
Your satisfaction matters to us! If you had a great experience with us, we'd love a 5-star rating and a kind review.
Worked with us? Leave a reviewService areas
We come to you anywhere in Jeddah
From Al Shiraa and Al Yaqout in the north to Al Thaghr and Al Quraiyat in the south, with our base in Al Aziziyah.
What sets this district apart
Al Shifa is a medium-density residential district with multi-storey apartment blocks, each containing a central AC unit distributing cooled air to several flats in the same building. This design often creates cooling imbalance between front and rear flats or between lower and upper floors, especially if there is a small blockage in the distribution piping inside the building. Our check begins with pressure reading from the outdoor unit, then leak and blockage detection before charging.
Al Shifa is in south Jeddah, a district of multi-storey residential blocks with reasonable spacing.
Most blocks here use one outdoor unit to supply AC to multiple flats, usually placed on the building roof or an external balcony on the top floor.
The AC setup in Al Shifa
- 1
Central AC supplying multiple flats
One outdoor unit at the top of the building distributes cooled air to multiple flats through in-wall and in-ceiling pipes.
- 2
Distribution pipes running between floors
Copper runs pass through multiple floors, which may cause small pressure drops to distant flats.
- 3
One indoor unit per flat
Each flat has one or two indoor units on the same main line from the roof.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Shifa
- 1
Coordinate with building management beforehand
Inform the building management of the visit time, and confirm that rooftop access and the stairway are available.
- 2
Tell us about any obstacles on the roof
Let us know if there are water tanks or other items around the outdoor unit that might block access to it.
- 3
Identify your flat for baseline cooling measurement
Pick your flat or a reference flat for measuring cooled air temperature, since readings vary between flats depending on distance.
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FAQ
Questions about AC refrigerant charging
Why can't a second refrigerant type be mixed into a ducted system?
Every refrigerant type is matched to a specific compressor, lubricating oil and operating pressures. Mixing two types shifts the pressures and contaminates the oil, straining the compressor and ruining cooling performance. We read the nameplate type and use only that.
Can a rooftop unit be recharged without shutting the whole building down?
In most cases one rooftop unit can be worked on while the others keep running, but this depends on how the system is designed and how many units it has. The technician reviews the system drawings at the survey and decides the approach that causes least disruption.
What do pressure and temperature readings tell you about a central AC system?
Suction pressure and gas line temperature show how well the evaporator coil is absorbing heat, while discharge pressure and liquid line temperature reveal condenser performance. Comparing both sets against the manufacturer's values shows whether the charge is low, high or whether another component is the real problem.
Why is the old charge recovered rather than just released?
Releasing refrigerant to the air damages the ozone layer and is prohibited. Recovery keeps the gas for proper recycling or disposal. In large systems the charge is substantial, so recovery both protects the environment and avoids losing a costly material before the repair is complete.
How does charging a ducted system differ from charging a standard split unit?
A ducted system has much longer refrigerant line sets and a larger charge, so a shortage takes longer to appear and leak-finding covers a much greater length of pipe and joints. Pressure readings must also be compared against the manufacturer's values for the whole system, not just a single indoor unit.
My second-floor flat is warm while the fourth floor is cold, is the refrigerant low?
There may be blockage in the inter-floor distribution pipes. We measure pressure and temperature at different points to determine if there is a leak or blockage before charging.
The outdoor unit is on the building roof, how do you get the tools up there?
We agree with the building management on safe rooftop access, and carry tools via internal or external stairs as available.
Humidity is high in Al Shifa and the pipes show corrosion, does that affect charging?
Corrosion may cause small leaks that are hard to spot. We use a specialist leak detector before charging to find any seepage from rust or weak joints.
Does the pipe length from the roof to my flat affect how much refrigerant is needed?
Yes, every additional metre of pipe increases the refrigerant needed. We measure from the outdoor unit to each flat and adjust the charge accordingly.
