Refrigeration and air-conditioning installer

Refrigeration and air-conditioning installers fit, service and repair cooling systems in buildings, storage and transport.


Typical Salary

£25,000 – £45,000

per year

Working Hours

40–48

hours per week

Career Area

Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers

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Day-to-day tasks

As a refrigeration and air-conditioning installer, you'll:

  • plan the layout of pipework, ducts and control panels
  •  install components
  •  provide scheduled maintenance and find and fix faults
  •  perform quality checks to make sure systems are working properly and safely
  •  retrofit buildings to meet new environmental standards
  •  fit or remove systems on refrigerated transport
  •  advise clients on ways to reduce their energy use

Skills needed

  • practical skills for installing equipment
  • the ability to repair machines or systems
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • problem-solving skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • knowledge of maths 
  • the ability to work well with others
  • persistence and determination
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

How to get into this role

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship

Career progression

With experience, you could become a refrigeration engineer, designing cooling systems and managing installation projects.

You might also move into the wider building services engineering industry or set up your own business.