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.

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.

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.