Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions maintenance departments ask us most often about service, repairs, leak checks under the F-gas regulation, costs and work outside Poland.
F-gas company certificate. A report with measurements after every visit. Mobile service in Poland and the EU.
The questions below come from real enquiries. If yours is not here, send it by e-mail and we will answer in writing.
Service and repairs
What equipment does SKiC service?
Industrial refrigeration and HVAC: air-cooled and water-cooled chillers, process chillers and coolers, oil coolers, condensing units and cold rooms, dry coolers, rooftop units, air handling units, precision air conditioning, industrial heat pumps, refrigerated air dryers and printing industry units (technotrans offset dampening units and cooling units, Baldwin equipment). We also build chilled water installations and control systems. The list of brands is on the brands page.
What do you not do?
We do not service split and VRF air conditioning or domestic equipment. We do not offer round-the-clock emergency standby and we do not carry out warranty work on behalf of manufacturers.
How does a typical visit run?
The technician reads the alarm history, then measures the unit in operation: pressures, superheat and subcooling, temperatures on the water side, compressor and fan currents, and the condition of coils and heat exchangers. Only then is a repair carried out or proposed. You receive a report with the readings after every visit.
The readings matter because they show trends. A condensing pressure that is a few bar higher than last year at the same ambient, or an evaporator approach that has grown from 2 K to 5 K, tells us about a fouled coil or heat exchanger long before the unit trips. Comparing reports from visit to visit is one of the cheapest ways to avoid a breakdown.
Can you carry out repairs in your workshop?
Yes. Smaller units, coils, oil coolers, pumps and components can be repaired at our base in Wałsnów, where we have time and equipment for proper pressure tests and evacuation.
A workshop repair is often the better choice for a leaking coil or an oil cooler from a machine tool: the unit is cleaned, the leak is located under nitrogen pressure, joints are brazed to EN 13585, and the circuit is evacuated and charged by weight before it goes back. On site the same work would be done in worse conditions and would usually take longer.
Do you work on units still under warranty?
No. During the warranty period contact the manufacturer’s authorised service. We start when the warranty has ended.
Can you replace an obsolete controller?
Yes. We build control panels based on Siemens PLC with HMI panels, web visualisation and SMS or e-mail alarms. See controls and remote monitoring.
Inspections and F-gas
How often must a leak check be carried out?
Under Regulation (EU) 2024/573 the interval depends on the refrigerant charge expressed in tonnes of CO2 equivalent (charge in kg multiplied by GWP, divided by 1000):
| Charge (t CO2 eq.) | Without leak detection system | With leak detection system |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to less than 50 | Every 12 months | Every 24 months |
| 50 to less than 500 | Every 6 months | Every 12 months |
| 500 and more | Every 3 months | Every 6 months (leak detection system mandatory) |
How do I calculate the CO2 equivalent of my unit?
Take the charge from the nameplate and multiply it by the GWP of the refrigerant. For example, 40 kg of R410A (GWP 2088) gives about 83.5 t CO2 eq., so the unit needs a check every 6 months. The same 40 kg of R134a (GWP 1430) gives 57.2 t, also 6 months. With R32 (GWP 675) the result is 27 t, so 12 months. Older cold room systems on R404A (GWP 3922) reach high values quickly: 15 kg already means about 58.8 t and checks every 6 months.
Natural refrigerants such as R290 (GWP 3), R744 (GWP 1) and R717 (GWP 0) are not fluorinated gases, so the F-gas leak check intervals do not apply to them in the same way, although other safety rules do.
What certificates do your technicians hold?
SKiC holds the company F-gas certificate FGAZ-E27/0001/21. Our technicians hold personal F-gas certificates in category I, SEP qualifications G1, G2 and G3, UDT qualifications for pressure equipment and brazing certificates to EN 13585.
What happens if a leak is found?
The leak must be repaired without undue delay and the unit checked again within one month after the repair. We record both in the report so that your equipment records are complete.
Topping up refrigerant without finding the leak is not a repair. It hides the problem, costs money on every visit and, with high-GWP refrigerants becoming scarcer under the regulation, gets more expensive every year. We locate the leak with an electronic detector, bubble solution or a nitrogen pressure test, depending on the circuit.
Is the inspection the same as planned maintenance?
No. The leak check is a legal minimum. Planned maintenance covers the whole unit: coils, fans, pumps, water quality, electrics and controls. See planned maintenance.
Costs and offers
How is the price of a repair calculated?
For larger jobs we prepare an offer after the diagnostic visit, because the cause of the fault determines the scope. A burnt compressor caused by a power supply fault and one caused by liquid floodback need different work, and only measurements show which it is. Smaller works are billed on labour, travel and materials according to the offer you accept before we start.
The offer lists labour, travel, parts and refrigerant as separate items, so you can see what you pay for. If during the work we find something outside the agreed scope, we stop and agree the extension with you before continuing.
Why do you charge for diagnostics?
A proper diagnosis takes hours of measurements by a qualified technician, plus travel. It is what prevents unnecessary parts replacement, which is usually the bigger cost. A compressor replaced without finding the reason for its failure, for example a faulty expansion valve or poor oil return, will fail again, and the second failure costs as much as the first.
Is a quotation binding?
Only a written offer sent by us is binding, within the scope and validity period stated in it. Information on this website is not an offer.
What information speeds up a quotation?
- Photos of the nameplates (model, serial number, refrigerant, charge).
- The alarm list or a photo of the controller display.
- Address of the site and access conditions (roof, crane, permits).
- Service history, if you have it.
Working abroad
Do you work outside Poland?
Yes. Our mobile teams work in Poland and in other EU countries. Communication is by e-mail and the contact form. A visit abroad is planned in more detail than a local one: we ask for photos, alarm lists and access information in advance, so that the team arrives with the right parts and can complete as much as possible in one trip.
What does service abroad cost?
Diagnostics on site from 800 EUR net; labour 115 EUR net per hour; travel 0.75 EUR net per km. Parts and refrigerant are quoted separately. Where the site needs a crane, a lift or special access, this is also added to the offer. For several units at one site the travel cost is shared, which makes a combined visit (for example leak checks and an inspection of all chillers) more economical.
In which language is the report?
For clients outside Poland we prepare the report in English, with the readings and a description of the work. It includes the refrigerant type and quantity handled and the result of any leak check, which you can use in your own equipment records.
Do you bring parts with you?
Where the likely fault is known from the alarm list and photos, yes. For less common parts we order in advance and agree the visit date accordingly.
How do I start?
Send an enquiry through the contact form or to info@skic.com.pl with the nameplate photos and a short description of the problem.
Still have a question?
Write to us and a technician will answer by e-mail.