Frequently Asked Questions

Kafi Jaber Hawshan Al-Dhafiri Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Establishment — a family business operating in Riyadh for more than forty years, based at a shop in Al Rayyan on Prince Majed bin Abdulaziz Street. We hold Riyadh Region Municipality commercial activity licence number 461019370314, registered for the installation, maintenance and repair of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

Yes. Our shop is in Al Rayyan on Prince Majed bin Abdulaziz Street, postal code 14212. You are welcome to visit or call us directly. This sets us apart from the many sites that show only a mobile number with no address and no licence.

Our technicians have worked with us for years; they are not contractors dispatched per job by an intermediary app. The technician who visits you today is the same one who can come back later and already knows your installation.

Apps send whoever is available. We send the same technician who knows your home and your equipment. And because we are a licensed establishment with a fixed address, we are directly accountable to you for the quality and the warranty — there is no intermediary.

We diagnose first. We measure refrigerant pressure and current draw, test the components, then explain what we found and agree the work with you before starting. We never start work and tell you afterwards what we did.

Yes. We stand behind every job we walk away from. If the same fault comes back after we have repaired it, call us and we return. We have been in the same neighbourhood for forty years and know our neighbours by name — our reputation here is the real guarantee, and it matters to us more than any single job.

Yes, we issue compliant tax invoices meeting e-invoicing requirements, which businesses and registered establishments need in order to work with us.

We accept cash and bank transfer. For business customers and maintenance contract holders we offer periodic invoicing arrangements.

No, and that is why we are still in the same place after forty years. The technician who arrives has seen your fault hundreds of times and knows when a clean is enough and when a part is genuinely needed. You are welcome to keep whatever part we removed.

We serve the whole city of Riyadh — 164 districts across the north, south, east, west and centre. Our shop is in Al Rayyan on Prince Majed bin Abdulaziz Street, and our teams work out from there across all of Riyadh. Call us with your district and we will book you in.

On most days we reach you the same day anywhere in Riyadh. At the height of summer an appointment may extend to the next day, and maintenance contract holders have scheduling priority.

Yes, we take requests, with timings varying by day and workload. Send us a WhatsApp message and we will tell you the earliest genuinely available slot.

Call us on 0571839848 or send a WhatsApp message to the same number. Send a photo of the unit and its data plate if you can — it helps us judge the work and bring the right parts on the first visit.

Three causes cover most cases: low refrigerant from a leak, dirty filters and coils blocking heat exchange, or a weakening compressor. Measuring pressure and current draw distinguishes them within minutes. Try cleaning the filters first — sometimes that is the entire problem.

The most common cause is a condensate drain line blocked with dust and algae, so water overflows the drain pan into the room. The second is incorrect installation tilt pushing water inward instead of outward. The third is the evaporator freezing from low refrigerant or poor airflow, then thawing all at once.

This is called short cycling. Likely causes: a faulty temperature sensor, a dirty condenser raising pressure so the unit trips to protect itself, a compressor oversized for the room, or a failing run capacitor. Electrical testing identifies which.

The smell is usually mould and bacteria growing on damp coils and inside the drain line. Washing with sanitising treats the source. A burning smell is entirely different — switch the unit off immediately and call a technician, as it can indicate an electrical fault.

Freezing means pressure in the circuit is low or airflow is poor. Causes: low refrigerant from a leak, a blocked filter, or a weak indoor fan. Running the unit while frozen damages the compressor, so switch it off and let it thaw before inspection.

Light clicking on start-up and shutdown is normal thermal expansion. Continuous loud noise is different: it may be an unbalanced fan, a poorly secured outdoor unit bracket, a failing motor bearing, or a foreign object inside the fan.

Every manufacturer uses its own code system, and the same code can mean different things across two brands. A code points to the affected circuit, not the exact failed part, so the component must be tested before replacement. Send us a photo of the code on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it means on your unit.

First try changing the batteries and check nothing blocks the signal receiver. If the problem persists, the fault may be in the receiver inside the unit or on the control board. Most of these are repairable without replacing the whole board.

Twice a year minimum in this climate: a wash before summer in March or April, and another after the peak. Dust here is heavier than in most cities and degrades cooling efficiency faster than people expect.

February to April. You avoid the summer rush and ensure the unit is ready before the first heatwave. The worst time is mid-July, when everyone is booked and waits are longest.

We guarantee our work. If the same fault comes back after we have repaired it, call us and we return and deal with it. We do not deal in small print and conditions — we have been in the same neighbourhood since 1985 and know our neighbours and customers by name, and it is our reputation among them that backs our work, not a piece of paper.

You can clean the filters yourself, which is the most important preventive step and needs no expertise: switch off, slide the filter out, wash in lukewarm water, dry fully before refitting. Opening the refrigerant circuit or working on gas or electrics needs a technician — refrigerant is under high pressure and causes injuries.

Four steps that genuinely matter: clean filters monthly in summer, set the temperature to 24°C rather than 18°C (every degree lower costs noticeably more), wash dust off the outdoor unit, and seal air leaks around windows and doors. A clean unit reaches temperature faster and runs for less time.

Ten to fifteen years with regular maintenance. Without it, lifespan can halve. What shortens life most in Riyadh is dust build-up on the condenser, which raises operating pressure and continuously strains the compressor.

Yes. We serve offices, restaurants, cafés, pharmacies, clinics, mosques, schools, warehouses and facility management firms, through annual maintenance contracts or on-demand work, with compliant tax invoicing.

Yes, we take on installation and first-fix work for buildings, villas and commercial premises, from copper runs and electrical provision through to commissioning and handover. Arrange a site survey with us.

We give scheduling priority to maintenance contract holders and to cases where downtime means direct loss, such as cold rooms and display chillers in restaurants and pharmacies.

Yes. We provide detailed written proposals for businesses and projects after a site survey, covering scope of work, visit frequency, duration and responsibilities.

Three causes cover most cases. The most common in Riyadh: the filter and evaporator coil are packed with dust, airflow drops, and the coil ices over until cooling stops entirely — try cleaning the filter first, it resolves a large share of these on its own. Second: the outdoor unit cannot dump heat because it sits somewhere enclosed or its condenser is clogged; the tell is that the unit cools fine at night and fails at midday. Third: low refrigerant from a leak, or a compressor that has lost efficiency. Those last two cannot be told apart without measuring circuit pressure and current draw in amps, which is what the technician does on the first visit before any repair. Quick rule: if the difference between intake air and outlet air is under 5°C, you have a real fault.

Ice on the copper lines or on the indoor evaporator coil is not a fault in itself — it is a symptom, and it always means the same thing: the coil has dropped below freezing. There are really only two reasons that happens. The first is restricted airflow across the coil — a filter clogged with dust, an evaporator that has not been washed in several seasons, a weak indoor fan, or a return-air opening blocked by furniture or a curtain. Air is what carries room heat to the coil; starve it of air and the coil keeps getting colder until the moisture on it freezes. The second is a low refrigerant charge caused by a leak: pressure in the circuit falls, and the evaporating temperature falls below zero with it. There is a practical difference you can see for yourself. Ice on the thick suction line out at the outdoor unit usually points to a leak or an undercharge. Ice confined to the coil inside the indoor unit usually points to airflow and cleaning. What to do straight away: switch off cooling and run the fan alone until the ice has melted completely. Do not chip it off or prise it away with a screwdriver or a knife — the coil fins are thin, they puncture easily, and a cleaning problem becomes a genuine leak. Once it has thawed, clean the filter and restart. The rule we give our customers: if it ices up again after the filter and evaporator have been cleaned, it is a leak — and a leak is not cured by topping up the gas, because refrigerant that escaped once will escape again. The leak is located and repaired, then the circuit is evacuated and charged by weight. And running an iced-up unit is not harmless: the ice blocks airflow completely and liquid refrigerant returns to the compressor instead of gas, which is what kills compressors. We guarantee our work either way.

Our shop is in Al Rayyan on Prince Majed bin Abdulaziz Street in Riyadh, and we have worked from the same location since 1985. But we do not work from the shop alone — our teams cover the whole city of Riyadh, north, south, east, west and centre, across 164 districts. You do not need to know your district’s official name: call us and describe the nearest landmark, a mosque, a school, a main street or a mall, and we will place you and give you the earliest slot we genuinely have. Call or WhatsApp 0571839848.

Water indoors means condensate never found its way out. The most common cause is a drain hose blocked with dust and algae, so water backs up and overflows the drain pan. Second is installation fall: the indoor unit should tilt slightly toward the drain outlet, and many rushed installs sit level or tilted the wrong way. Third is the evaporator freezing and then thawing all at once, which takes you back to a blocked filter or low refrigerant. Fourth is missing insulation on the copper lines, so condensation forms on them inside the wall. Do not just mop it up — all four are fixable, and the first is very simple. Switch the unit off until it is sorted so water does not reach the gypsum or the wiring.

The sound narrows the fault down more than people expect. Clicking only at start-up and shutdown: plastic expanding with heat, and normal. A hum from the outdoor unit with no rotation: usually the run capacitor has failed — a small part whose life is shortened by Riyadh heat. Squealing or metallic rubbing: worn fan bearings. Rattling or knocking: a fan blade catching something, or a loose screw. Hissing or bubbling: refrigerant movement, typically with a low charge or a leak. A heavy clunk from the compressor on start-up: unbalanced pressure or internal damage. Do not keep running the unit with a metallic noise — mechanical faults escalate fast.

The schedules printed in AC manuals are written for mild cities, and Riyadh is not one. We have fine dust year-round, seasonal storms, and a long summer. In practice: wash the filter every two to three weeks from May through September, and every one to two months the rest of the year. A deep clean of the indoor and outdoor units together should happen at least annually for homes and twice a year for shops, restaurants and offices. Check the filter and outdoor unit after any dust storm even if nothing is due. The best time for the deep clean is March and April, before the heavy season starts — not after the unit fails in July.

The distinction matters because one is a small part and the other is the heart of the machine. A failed run capacitor: the outdoor unit hums for a few seconds then goes quiet, retries minutes later, and the fan may spin if you nudge it by hand. A weak compressor: the unit runs quietly and continuously and gets hot, but pressure never builds and there is no meaningful cooling. The final answer comes from measurement, not listening — current draw in amps against the figure on the data plate, and circuit pressure at the service port. A technician takes both readings in minutes. Anyone who says "the compressor is gone" before connecting a meter is guessing.

If each room has its own unit, comparing them is the fastest diagnosis: measure the intake-to-outlet temperature difference in both. If the hot room’s unit also shows a healthy split, the machine is fine and the problem is heat load — an exposed west-facing wall, single glazing, an uninsulated roof, or a door opening onto a stairwell or large hall. If the split is poor, the fault is in that specific unit. On ducted or central systems the usual cause is unbalanced air distribution: a partly closed outlet, a long or leaking duct run, or a damper that needs setting. That gets corrected by measuring at each outlet.

Yes, and we see it often — usually an installation fault rather than a manufacturing one. The common causes: pipe runs longer than the permitted length without adding the matching refrigerant, so the charge is short from day one. Or flare joints not torqued correctly, leaking immediately. Or the circuit was never evacuated with a vacuum pump before charging, leaving non-condensable air inside the system. Or the outdoor unit was placed in an enclosed light-well with nowhere for hot air to go. Or the selected capacity is simply smaller than the room needs. All are fixable, and diagnosis starts with circuit pressure, the pipe run length, and where the outdoor unit sits.

That is short cycling, and it wears a compressor harder than continuous running does. Causes in order: an airflow restriction (dirty filter or evaporator) that drops temperature at the sensor unrealistically fast, cutting the unit out early. Or a clogged outdoor condenser raising pressure until the high-pressure protection trips. Or a temperature sensor that is misplaced or failed. Or a refrigerant charge that is over or under. Or a unit substantially oversized for the room, hitting setpoint quickly and cutting out before it removes any humidity. Switch it off and have it checked, because every start cycle costs the compressor many times what normal running does.

A damp smell on start-up comes from biological growth on the evaporator surface and in the drain pan, where moisture lingers after shutdown. Washing the filter alone will not do it, because the source is behind the filter. The fix is a deep clean of the coil with pressure or steam and a coil cleaner, plus clearing the drain pan and the full drain line. If the smell returns quickly after cleaning, the drain line itself is likely holding water and needs its fall or venting corrected. A burning or hot-plastic smell is a completely different matter: switch the unit off at the breaker immediately and call us, because that points to an electrical fault, not hygiene.

Switch the unit off immediately and let it thaw before running it again. Running the compressor with ice present can return liquid to it and destroy it — turning a small problem into a major one. The ice is a symptom, not the illness, and it points to one of two things: restricted airflow across the evaporator from a blocked filter, a fouled coil or a weak indoor fan, or a low refrigerant charge from a leak. Once it has fully thawed, clean the filter and run the unit on fan only for a while. If the ice returns after cleaning, a leak is the likely cause, and that needs detection rather than simply adding gas.

We aim for same-day on most days, in any district of Riyadh. At the peak of summer — June, July and August — the earliest slot may be the following day, and that is true of every team in the city because demand doubles. We will not promise a time we cannot keep: when you call, we tell you the earliest slot we genuinely have, not the best theoretical one. Urgent situations get priority — cold rooms in restaurants and shops, or a total loss of cooling in a home with elderly residents or infants. Call or WhatsApp 0571839848 and tell us your situation.

We service evaporative coolers fully — maintenance, cleaning, repair and installation. A desert cooler works on a completely different principle from a split unit: it draws air across a wetted pad and cools it by evaporation, so there is no refrigerant and no compressor in it at all, and most of its faults are water faults rather than cooling faults. Three are far and away the most common here in Riyadh. The pads scale up and harden from the salt in the water until air passes through without being wetted — that is why a cooler can run normally and still blow air that is not cold. The water pump fails, or the distribution lines above the pads block, so one side of the pad dries out. And the float valve that regulates the water level fails, so the tank either overflows or empties. A bad smell comes from water standing in the tank and needs the tank and pads cleaned, not an air freshener. One practical point specific to Riyadh: an evaporative cooler performs best in dry air and weakens as humidity rises, and it needs an outlet for the air to escape — without one, the room humidity climbs and the cooling you feel stops. We service them in homes and equally in workshops, warehouses and industrial halls, where they are often the right choice both practically and in running cost. Call or WhatsApp 0571839848.

Always. We measure refrigerant pressure and current draw and test components one by one, then explain what we found and agree it with you before any repair begins. We never start work and tell you afterwards what we did.

Three causes account for most cases: low refrigerant from a leak, dirty filters and condenser blocking heat exchange, or a weakening compressor. Measurement identifies which within minutes. The three differ greatly in the work involved, which is why we do not judge before we look.

Yes. We read the error code from the control board, interpret it against the manufacturer, and test that specific component rather than replacing the whole board.

Most common faults are completed in the same visit, within one to two hours. Repairs needing an unstocked part may take an extra day, and we tell you immediately if so.

Our working rule: if the unit is over ten years old and the fault is in the compressor itself, replacing usually serves you better long term. We will tell you that even when it costs us the repair job — it is what has kept us here for forty years.

Yes, and it is usually the better way. We wash all the units in the same visit and test cooling in each room before leaving, rather than coming back time after time.

Twice a year is enough for most Riyadh homes. Three times if the unit is exposed to heavy dust from an unpaved road or nearby construction.

Usually yes, because the most common cause is a drain line blocked with dust and algae. If dripping continues after clearing, the cause is normally installation tilt or a cracked drain pan, which we handle separately.

30 to 45 minutes per split unit, including sanitising, drying and a running test.

Yes, measurably. Dirty coils force the compressor to run longer, and cooling is the largest share of household electricity use in Riyadh during summer.

Three things: the copper line length, the height and accessibility of the outdoor unit position, and whether electrical provision already exists. Send us photos on WhatsApp and we will tell you what your installation needs before we come out.

Yes, to the same standard. We will tell you before starting if the capacity is wrong for the room size.

A working rule for Riyadh is around 700 BTU per square metre, increased if the room takes direct sun or has large windows. An oversized unit cools fast then cycles off, which raises humidity and uses more electricity.

Two to three hours for a single split unit under normal conditions.

Incorrect installation voids it with most manufacturers. We install to specification and document the work so your warranty stays valid.

In most cases yes, within our area. We remove from the old location and refit at the new one the same day, unless the new place needs electrical provision or a fresh line run.

Not if pump-down is done properly before disconnecting. Loss happens when connections are opened without pump-down, which is what untrained handlers do.

We handle removal and refitting within Riyadh. Intercity transport can be coordinated, but our field work is focused on Riyadh.

Removal takes around 45 minutes and refitting two to three hours. It is usually all completed the same day.

No. Charging alone means you call us again in a few months, and that is not how we work. We locate and repair the leak first, then charge. It extends the life of the unit and saves you repeat visits.

Never, under normal conditions. The circuit is sealed and refrigerant is not consumed. If you need repeat charging, you have an unrepaired leak.

Common signs: gradually weakening cooling, ice forming on the copper line or evaporator, and the unit running for long periods without reaching the set temperature. Only measurement confirms it.

Not directly. Pressures and oils differ, and substituting without modifying circuit components damages the compressor. We explain the options for your specific unit.

Most often unbalanced air distribution between outlets, a leak in the duct feeding the far room, or an uninsulated duct running through a hot void. The fix is usually balancing and insulation repair, not replacing the unit.

Twice a year minimum, with more frequent filter changes in Riyadh dust. A blocked filter is the first cause of poor performance.

Usually a blocked air handler drain line inside the ceiling, or a coil freezing from low airflow and then thawing at once. Both need immediate attention before the gypsum is further damaged.

Yes, as part of our commercial maintenance and operating contracts. Contact us to arrange a site survey.

Yes, and they are core work for us. We prioritise commercial cases because downtime means lost stock.

Usually a thermostat, temperature sensor or defrost circuit fault. It is rarely refrigerant-related, so charging is normally not the answer.

We work on most brands common in the Saudi market and stock thermostats, fans, sensors and compressors for them. If a part is unavailable we tell you immediately rather than stringing you along.

If the compressor has failed and the unit is over twelve years old, replacing usually serves you better. We will say so plainly.

We give cold room faults scheduling priority because delay means stock loss. Call or WhatsApp us directly for the fastest response.

Usually a defrost cycle fault, humid air leaking past the door or gaskets, or heavy loading of warm product. We check all three together.

By room volume, target temperature, product type, turnover rate and the temperature the product enters at. We arrange a survey visit and set out a detailed picture of the right system for you.

Yes, and it is the right choice for these systems, because preventive maintenance spares you the loss of an entire stock.

By unit count and type, how hard the systems run, and how many visits your premises actually needs. We survey first, then set out a written maintenance plan with a clear scope of work — not a single template for everyone.

Three concrete benefits: a known plan instead of reacting to surprises, priority response at peak season when everyone else is booked, and longer equipment life because faults are caught early.

Yes, compliant tax invoices meeting e-invoicing requirements — a prerequisite for contracting with most registered businesses.

Yes, and we have experience with premises that have intensive, fixed usage windows, where maintenance is scheduled outside peak hours.

During the holidays, and that is the practical difference in a school contract. Working through a school day is not realistic: the noise, the ladders and the presence of students make it slow and unsafe. So we schedule school work into the summer holiday, mid-year breaks and weekends, and we fix a main visit before the academic year begins so the classrooms are ready in the first week rather than a month into term. Schools and nurseries under contract book the holiday window early, because it is a narrow window and everyone wants it at the same time.

We offer them for homes and villas too, though most of our contracts are with businesses. Our test is the number of units and the type of system, not what the building is used for: a flat with two or three splits is covered by a single service visit before summer and we see no reason to put it under contract, while a villa with ten units or a central or ducted system genuinely benefits from one. We survey first and then tell you honestly which of the two you are.

The base contract covers labour, preventive maintenance and filters. Major parts are handled separately, with contract holders given priority on availability. We set all of it out in detail in the proposal before signing.