Ducted and central recharge
AC refrigerant charging in Al Widad
In Al Widad, east Jeddah, villas and apartment blocks with central cooling suffer uneven cooling across zones. Alrabih's team measures pressure and temperature precisely to distinguish low refrigerant from leaks.
- 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 Widad is a medium-density residential district with modern villas and apartment blocks of varying heights, each with a central system covering multiple zones or floors. Cooling imbalance between zones is very common due to duct length and thermal insulation differences across rooms. Before any refrigerant charge, the suction and discharge lines must be checked for leaks or blockages.
Al Widad is in the east and holds modern villas and apartment blocks with complex central systems.
Most systems here distribute air from one central unit through long ducts, raising the risk of pressure and temperature drop along the run.
The AC setup in Al Widad
- 1
Central system with long multi-floor ducts
Most apartment blocks here have one air handler serving several floors through vertical ducts, needing pressure checks at multiple points.
- 2
Copper lines in external or internal walls
Copper lines are often visible on external walls or buried in internal walls, easing access for testing but exposing them to corrosion.
- 3
Outdoor units on roofs or building corners
Outdoor units sit on roofs or building corners, needing pressure checks under realistic heat conditions.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Widad
- 1
Locate the outdoor unit and confirm access
Let us know the outdoor unit's location before the visit and whether the roof is locked or has obstacles.
- 2
Clear the area around the copper lines
Remove any hanging or stacked items beside the copper lines, as we need easy access to test them and measure pressure.
- 3
Tell us which floor or zone feels cooler
Tell the team which floor or room feels under-cooled, as we will focus pressure checks on that specific zone.
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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.
The upper floor does not cool as well as the lower, is there a leak?
The imbalance might be due to duct length or heat difference between floors. We measure pressure in both main lines and at each floor outlet to find the real cause before charging.
The copper lines show rust spots outside, does that affect the refrigerant?
Rust on the outside usually does not affect the refrigerant inside the tube. But if we find a hole or leak during testing, we locate and repair it before charging.
Do high summer temperatures affect refrigerant readings?
Yes, high heat raises refrigerant pressure, so we measure against the actual outdoor temperature on the visit day for an accurate reading.
Do you need to switch off the system while checking pressure?
We run the system in cooling mode during the test to get real pressure and temperature readings, then switch it off before opening any lines.
