When looking for an air conditioning provider, it can be confusing to try and discern what specific qualifications are necessary to undertake a safe and licensed installation.
By Australian industry standards, air conditioning businesses are required to hold an ARCTick license to install, service and repair air conditioners in your home or office.
ARC is the acronym for the Australian Refrigeration Council, a peak industry body appointed in 2005 by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage to administer the national refrigeration and air conditioning permit scheme.
You might be wondering: How does this relate to environmental standards?
ARC is responsible for granting refrigerant Trading Authorisations and Refrigerant handling licenses that are approved under regulation to business and individuals who acquire, possess, handle or dispose of ozone depleting substances or synthetic greenhouse gases. These apply to the air conditioning industry – where installers must be qualified and informed on the impacts that air conditioning can have on the environment, especially when handling refrigerant. To reduce waste and conduct a safe installation, your choice of appropriately licensed technician is important for yourself, your family, and the environment.
There are two types of license holders in the air conditioning industry.
1. Restricted license holder
- License obtained after a 2-day course
- Licenced to install split systems up to 18kw
- Not permitted to install multi-head systems (due to more complex pipework configurations)
- Not permitted to install air conditioners greater than 18kw
- Not permitted to service, diagnose or repair any air conditioner
2. Unrestricted Full ArcTick license holder
- License obtained after completing a 4-year air conditioning and Refrigeration apprenticeship
- Permitted to install any type and size air conditioner
- Permitted to carry out service, diagnostic & repair work on any type of air conditioner
- Permitted to decommission any type of air conditioner
At Voltair, our founder Steve Baran holds a Full Unrestricted ARCTick licence and has completed 6 years of air-conditioning, refrigeration, and electrical training plus has over 17 years’ experience in the industry. Our technicians are all full unrestricted ARCTick licence holders, so you can be assured that our team are highly experienced – and will get the job done right.
This certification allows us to install any type of air conditioning unit as well as carry out servicing and repairs, so you have complete peace of mind, knowing your installers are qualified and adhere to the industry code of practice. ARC licensed air conditioning and refrigeration technicians are also trained to mitigate environmental impacts through the correct management and handling of refrigerant.
We recommend verifying that your installer is qualified with the help of the ARCTick license check.
Next time you’re looking for a licensed and fully qualified air conditioning provider for your home or office, just look for the Tick. It should be displayed clearly in marketing materials or the website of an air conditioning company.
Contact Voltair today to chat to us about your installation!
ARC License #AU16728
