Every year, a few weeks before the heat arrives, the same thing happens in homes across Pakistan. The AC is switched on, the air is not cold, and a technician says the words every owner dreads: "Gas khatam ho gayi hai." Sometimes that is true. Often it is the most expensive answer to a cheaper problem. This guide explains what the common AC jobs involve, what a fair quotation should spell out, and how to tell a careful technician from a careless one.
First, know your AC
Before you call anyone, note four things from the label on the indoor or outdoor unit:
- Brand and model.
- Capacity: 1 ton, 1.5 ton or 2 ton.
- Type: inverter or non-inverter.
- Refrigerant: the gas it uses, printed on the outdoor unit's label, such as R22, R410A or R32. These are not interchangeable.
Then describe the symptom precisely: not cooling at all, cooling for ten minutes and stopping, water dripping indoors, a noise, a smell, or an error code on the display. A technician who knows this before the visit gives a better quotation.
The common jobs, and what each should include
General service
This is cleaning, and most ACs need it once a year, before summer. A proper service covers the indoor unit's filters and cooling coil, the blower, the drain line, and a wash of the outdoor unit's condenser. Ask whether the quotation is for a basic filter-and-coil clean or a full wash of both units, because the two are very different amounts of work.
Gas top-up or refill
The refrigerant in an AC is sealed in. It does not get "used up" like petrol. If the gas is low, there is a leak. An honest job therefore has four steps:
- find the leak, with a pressure test or soap solution;
- repair it;
- vacuum the system to remove air and moisture;
- refill with the correct gas for your unit, measured with gauges.
A refill without finding the leak means paying again in a few weeks. Ask the technician to show you the pressure gauge before and after, and to tell you where the leak was.
Installation or shifting
The labour charge is only part of the cost. A complete quotation lists the copper pipe (charged per foot beyond what came in the box), insulation, drain pipe, electrical wire, the outdoor bracket or stand, a wall hole if needed, and gas if the pipe run is long. For shifting, it should also include safely storing the gas in the outdoor unit before dismantling.
Electrical and PCB repair
Inverter ACs have circuit boards in both units. If a board must be taken to a workshop, get a written receipt with the technician's name, number and the part taken, and ask what happens to the charge if it cannot be repaired.
What a fair quotation spells out
Prices change with the season, the city and the price of refrigerant, so compare two or three quotations rather than trusting a figure from last year. Whatever the amount, a fair quotation tells you:
- The visit or inspection charge, and whether it is waived if you go ahead with the work.
- Labour and materials separately. Which gas, how much pipe, which parts.
- Fixed price or estimate. If it may change after opening the unit, what could change it.
- Parts: new or used, original or compatible, and that the old part will be returned to you.
- Warranty on the work: how many days, and what it covers. A gas refill with no warranty at all is a warning.
- When: the day and time, and how long the job takes.
Get it in writing. On BUY.net.pk the quotation and any changes stay in the chat with the provider, so there is a record if a dispute arises.
Signs of a careful technician
- Asks questions before quoting, and checks the simple things first: filters, settings, power supply, the capacitor.
- Carries gauges, a vacuum pump and proper tools, not just a cylinder.
- Explains what is wrong in plain words and shows you the faulty part.
- Protects your room: covers furniture and cleans up the water.
- Runs the AC for fifteen to twenty minutes after the job and checks the cooling with you.
Warning signs
- "Gas finished" within a minute of arriving, with no test.
- Refilling without looking for a leak, or mixing a different gas "because it is the same".
- A price that doubles once the unit is open.
- Insisting on taking the outdoor unit or the board away without a receipt.
- Demanding full payment before starting.
- Parts "replaced" that you were never shown.
How to hire through BUY.net.pk
- Open AC repair and service and choose your city and area.
- Describe the job using the notes above: brand, tonnage, type, symptom, and whether it is a service, repair or installation. Add a photo of the label and the unit.
- Providers who cover your area send quotations. Compare what each includes, not only the total.
- Look at each provider's profile: verification badges tell you what we checked about who they are, and reviews come only from customers with completed bookings.
- Accept one. The booking records the agreed price and time.
You pay the provider directly, after the work is done and the AC has been tested. BUY.net.pk does not collect payment for services.
On the day
- Have an adult at home for the whole visit, and keep valuables out of the work area.
- Ask to see the gauge readings and the old parts.
- Test before paying: let it run, and check the air is cold, the water drains outside and there is no new noise.
- Get a receipt that states the work done, the gas and parts used, and the warranty.
What you can do yourself
- Wash the indoor filters every two weeks in summer. Dirty filters are the most common cause of weak cooling.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear of dust, plants and stored items so air can flow through it.
- Book the yearly service in spring. Once the heat begins, good technicians are busy and prices rise.
- Use a stabiliser or protector if your area has voltage swings.
A well-serviced AC cools faster and uses less electricity, which matters on every bill. Need one looked at? Request quotations on BUY.net.pk.
