What is one purpose of shutoff valves on the compressor during installation and when servicing?

Due to safety reasons, many appliances and machines have an emergency shutoff valves in case there is a problem. For instance, at a gas station, there is a shutoff valve in the store where the clerk can instantly shut off the gas in case someone drives into the gas pump. This could cause a fire and the gas would need to be turned off so that the fire would stop.

A compressor is a machine or device that pushes gas or air into a smaller space. When gas is involved, there is always a cause for concern. Besides safety, there is also another reason for having a shut off valve on these devices. It allows the freon or other liquid used to make the machine function to be spared when installing or servicing the unit.