Refrigerant recharge across Cairns.
ARCtick-licensed regas, UV dye and nitrogen pressure-test leak detection, post-clean pressure test. Refrigerant work is the part of aircon servicing where the cheap operators get caught out — it’s legally restricted to ARCtick-licensed technicians. We hold the licence and we file the paperwork. ~$180–$450 depending on refrigerant weight and whether a leak repair is needed.
The ARCtick refrigerant work catalogue.
Why the ARCtick licence matters.
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) licence — commonly called the ARCtick — is the federal licence required by anyone handling refrigerant in Australia. Gauging a system, recovering refrigerant for repair, recharging, or modifying a refrigerant circuit all require an ARCtick. The penalty for handling refrigerant without it is up to $63,000 per offence under the federal Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act. We hold a current ARCtick and the licence number appears on every service report we issue. Cheap aircon cleaners who can’t show you their ARCtick card aren’t legally permitted to gauge your system, let alone recharge it.
Leak detection — do it before the regas.
A unit that’s low on refrigerant has a leak somewhere — refrigerant doesn’t get used up like petrol. Topping up without finding and fixing the leak is putting fresh refrigerant straight into the atmosphere. Our leak protocol: pressure check on the gauge set first, then if low we inject UV dye and pressure the system with dry nitrogen to spec, walk every joint and connection with a UV torch, and repair any leak found before recharging. This is the difference between a $180 quick top-up and a proper $320–$450 leak repair + regas that actually lasts.
R-32 vs R-410A — what your system uses.
Most splits and ducted systems sold in Australia since ~2018 run R-32, the newer single-component refrigerant with better efficiency and lower global-warming potential. Units from ~2005–2018 typically run R-410A. Pre-2005 systems often run R-22, which is phased out (no more new supply) — we can still service these but if a regas is needed we’ll discuss whether replacement makes more sense than chasing diminishing R-22 stock. The service report identifies your refrigerant type explicitly.
Post-clean pressure test.
Every split-system clean and ducted service we do includes a refrigerant pressure check at the end — gauge set on the outdoor service port, reading against ambient temperature spec. If pressure is within spec, the clean is signed off and no further refrigerant work is needed. If pressure is low, we quote leak detection + regas separately so you can decide. We don’t auto-add refrigerant work to a clean invoice without telling you.
Pricing.
- Pressure check only (during a clean): included in service
- Top-up regas (small weight, no leak repair): $180–$280
- Leak detection (UV dye + nitrogen pressure test): $180–$280
- Leak repair + full regas: $320–$450 depending on weight and complexity
- Refrigerant warranty paperwork — included on every service report
Service areas.
Free refrigerant work quote.
ARCtick-licensed technician. UV-dye leak detection. R-32 and R-410A regas. Warranty paperwork on every job.