Comprehensive and non-comprehensive AMCs
| Non-comprehensive (labour only) | Comprehensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive visits | Included | Included |
| Breakdown labour | Usually included | Included |
| Spare parts | Charged separately | Covered, subject to listed exclusions |
| Refrigerant | Often charged separately | Often covered for leak repair; check the wording |
| Best suited to | Newer units, sites with a parts budget | Older units, multi-unit sites, sites that need predictable costs |
What each preventive visit should cover
- Condenser coil cleaning and a check of condenser fan operation.
- Evaporator inspection and cleaning, including the fan and fan guard, done with the unit isolated.
- Defrost drain clearing and drip tray cleaning; check of defrost heaters and defrost cycle on automatic-defrost units.
- Door gasket inspection, the paper test, and hinge and closer adjustment.
- Electrical checks: supply voltage at the socket, compressor current draw, tightness of terminals, earthing continuity.
- Controller and probe check against a reference thermometer, with alarm settings verified.
- Refrigeration performance check — temperatures and run pattern — without connecting gauges unnecessarily, since every connection is a potential leak point.
- Levelling, castor brakes and general condition, with a written list of anything needing repair.
How many visits
The contract should state the number of preventive visits per year and roughly when they fall. Quarterly visits are common for commercial kitchens; dusty or greasy sites may need more frequent condenser cleans than the AMC provides, so agree who does those in between. Ask for at least one visit before peak summer and one before the monsoon.
Breakdown response terms
- The response time for a breakdown call, stated in hours, and whether it counts from your call or from a ticket number.
- Service hours: weekdays only, or including Sundays, public holidays and late evenings.
- Whether there is a limit on the number of breakdown calls per year.
- What happens if a part is not available — temporary repair, loan unit, or neither.
- How you log a call, and that you get a reference number every time.
Exclusions to read carefully
Every AMC has exclusions, and they decide whether the contract is worth having. Typical ones are physical damage, damage from voltage fluctuation or improper electrical supply, glass doors and panels, plastic parts, lamps and consumables such as gaskets. Some exclude compressors on comprehensive contracts, or cover them only up to a certain unit age. None of these are unreasonable on their own, but they must be written down. If your site has a poor supply, ask how voltage-related failures are treated and whether a stabiliser is a condition of cover.
Service reports and technician skills
- A signed service report for every visit listing work done, readings taken, parts replaced and recommendations.
- An asset list that names each covered unit with its serial number and location.
- For pharmacies, labs and clinics: reports suitable for your quality records, and any calibration certificates your programme requires.
- Confirmation that technicians are trained to handle the refrigerants in your units, especially flammable hydrocarbons such as R290 and R600a, and that refrigerant is recovered properly, not vented.
What remains your job
An AMC does not replace daily care. Temperature logging, wiping spills, cleaning gaskets, keeping vents clear and reporting faults early are still yours, and many contracts say so. Agree in writing which routine tasks your staff do, and which the AMC technician does, so nothing falls in between.
Safety notes
Any task in the contract that involves opening the sealed refrigeration system, brazing, or handling refrigerant must be done by trained technicians with the right recovery equipment. For hydrocarbon-refrigerant units, this includes leak-detection and ventilation precautions and no open flames until the system is safe. Staff tasks should be limited to those done with the power isolated and no panels removed around the sealed system.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an AMC worth it for a single refrigerator?
- It depends on how much a breakdown would cost you in stock and sales, the age of the unit and whether anyone on site keeps up with routine care. For a single new unit under warranty, a few paid preventive visits may be enough.
- Does an AMC replace the manufacturer's warranty?
- No. During the warranty period, warranty terms apply to covered defects. An AMC adds scheduled maintenance and covers what the warranty does not. Check that AMC work does not affect warranty conditions.
