How Often Does The Registered Air Conditioning And Refrigeration Technician License Expire

How to check an air conditioner installer's licence

ARC tick

The ARC Tick logo.

Installing, repairing, and servicing air conditioners can be very technical processes, which is why it's vital that y'all hire a licensed professional who is suitably qualified to do so. In fact, it'southward illegal for technicians or tradesmen to 'handle' fluorocarbon refrigerant gases – commonly used in household air conditioners - without a licence issued by the Australian Refrigeration Council.

Split system air conditioners oftentimes comprise fluorocarbon refrigerants, which are ozone depleting substances or constructed greenhouse gases. If a single kilogram of R410a (the nigh ordinarily used refrigerant gas) is released into the temper, information technology has the same effect on the ozone layer as running your motorcar for half dozen months!

Licence types

An ARC Refrigerant License is a national environs-based license for the 'handling' of fluorocarbon refrigerants. 'Handling' refers to any person who carries out work in relation to air conditioning (or refrigeration) equipment including: installing, servicing, decanting; manufacturing and decommissioning - whether or non refrigerant is nowadays.

There are two types of licences that are issued by the Australian Refrigeration Council for qualified individuals. Installers should concur at least 1 of these licences. If you're installing a system over 18kW or having an airconditioner serviced or repaired, the technician will require a full licence. Below are the details of the different licence types:

1. Full Refrigeration and Ac (RAC) Licence
The holder of a full 'RAC' license is qualified to:

a) Piece of work with whatever ac system of whatsoever cooling chapters
b) Undertake all aspects of installation, service, repair, maintenance or decommissioning of air-conditioning systems.

2. Restricted Split System Air conditioning Installation and Decommissioning (Splits) License
The holder of a restricted 'Splits' license is qualified to:

a) Work with a single caput dissever system air conditioner of less than 18kW cooling chapters
b) Undertake installation, including running the pipe work of a single head split arrangement air conditioner
c) Only introduce additional refrigerant when required on extended pipe runs
d) Commission the system after installation is complete
e) Remove the refrigerant from the organisation prior to decommissioning the organisation.

The holder of a restricted 'Splits' license is not qualified and not permitted to:
a) Work with any split system air conditioner of more than 18kW cooling capacity
b) Install multi-head split system air-conditioning systems
c) Service, repair or maintain whatsoever divide system air conditioner

How to check your installer's license

There are a number of ways you lot can bank check if a tradesman/technician is accordingly licenced:

Visit the online licence cheque facility www.lookforthetick.com.au to meet if they are licenced and current
Businesses advertizement / promoting air conditioning services should include a licence number
Enquire to see their Refrigerant Handling Licence card – this will also tell y'all the services they are qualified to perform in relation to air conditioning equipment

Visit the Australian Refrigeration Council'due south 'Look for the tick' site for more tools and information.