Due to Singapore’s tropical weather, air conditioners have become important in our day to day lives as they keep us cool and comfortable. As days get warmer, air conditioners get all cranked up all day and all night. Sometimes, we forget that ac units need proper care and maintenance too.
Skipping aircon servicing until serious issues develop can be a costly mistake. As they go through their natural wear-and-tear, they would require regular maintenance to keep them functioning in their topnotch condition. You are also saving yourself money in the long run.
How much do we really know about aircon servicing? When and how often does our aircon unit need it? Let’s find out more.
Aircon Servicing 101
Aircon Servicing generally includes inspection and cleaning of the unit, and sometimes, when the aircon needs it, an overhaul.
Whether you’re servicing your aircon yourself or you hired the best aircon servicing company in Singapore, an inspection of the exterior and interior parts of the unit is the first thing that should be done. This is important because it gives the technician an overview of the current status of the unit. This helps him determine the best type of aircon servicing your unit needs. Whether your aircon needs a normal/standard servicing, a chemical wash or a chemical overhaul. Moreover, this also helps determine any issues that need to be addressed or aircon parts that need to be repaired or replaced.
Normal Servicing
Normal Servicing is also called Standard Servicing or Regular Servicing in other companies. It involves cleaning both the interior and exterior parts of the unit by using different cleaning tools like cloth, brushes, or vacuum, and standard cleaning chemicals.
An aircon technician will disassemble some parts of the unit like the fan coil, air filter, and water tray to clean the unit. This ensures that dust and debris that has accumulated on the inner parts of the unit is thoroughly cleaned. This cleaning process usually takes about 25 to 30 minutes per aircon.
Normal Servicing can be done on all types and ages of air conditioning units. It is also advised to get this service at least twice a year to avoid dust and debris build-up and ensure that your unit is safe from corrosion. Regular aircon servicing ensures better temperature control and cleaner air from a clean unit.
Chemical Wash
Chemical wash or chemical cleaning is a more thorough aircon cleaning method. In chemical washing, the technician partially dismantles parts of the unit like the fan or condenser coil, air filter, water tray, and other parts of the AC and washes them with special chemical solutions.
These chemical solutions remove stubborn dust, dirt, and bacteria that have accumulated all over the unit. The internal pipes are also flushed with these solutions to remove sticky debris and acids. This cleaning process takes at least an hour or so to finish per aircon.
A chemical wash is advisable for aircon units that are 5 years and older. It is also advisable for aircons with minor performance issues like stale air, decreased air coldness, and units that are serviced less frequently. A frequency of one chemical wash every two years is advised to ensure that there will be no technical faulty problems with your airconditioning unit.
Normal Servicing & Chemical Wash Process
Normal servicing and chemical wash generally have the same inspection, dismantling, and cleaning process. The only difference is that the chemical wash uses more specialised cleaning solutions. Plus, it takes longer washing and soaking of various aircon unit parts.
- Checking, deodorizing and purifying filter and covers
- Cleaning & checking indoor evaporator coil
- Cleaning & checking indoor drainage tray
- Vacuuming of drainage pan and drainage system
- Checking fan bearing and lubrication (if necessary)
- Checking compressor suction and discharge pressure
- Aircon gas top up (FOC, if necessary)
- Applying Antibacterial Spray
- Tightening electrical contacts
- Using several chemical-based cleaners to remove dust, oil, and dirt in various parts
Chemical Overhaul
There will be cases wherein a normal servicing or a chemical wash is insufficient to clean the airconditioning system thoroughly. Professionals may propose what they call a Chemical Overhaul for your unit. A chemical overhaul still involves a chemical wash process but it goes further because it will also deal with drainage pipes, heat exchange coils, and blower wheels.
The technician entirely dismantles your ac unit in this chemical overhaul process. It involves checking the air conditioning unit for any anomaly and if found, the technician will repair or replace any faulty part. It’s a total re-calibration of the aircon unit.
A chemical overhaul is advisable for newer aircon units that are 5 years and below. It is recommended for units that are experiencing issues like strange noises coming from the unit, fan bearings not working properly, dirty and damaged air filters, pipes overflowing with water, and many others.
To ensure a functional aircon and dodge a costly replacement of parts, a frequency of one chemical overhaul every two years is advised.
Where to Get Aircon Servicing and Costs
The air conditioning industry is big in Singapore and there are a lot of service companies that offer these services. Look at some considerations before choosing an aircon servicing company like company profile, experience, testimonials, process, etc. Make sure you’re choosing a reliable, honest, and transparent aircon service provider.
You can find these aircon servicing companies across Singapore on Google, social media sites like Facebook or Instagram, and other local listing websites or online directories.
A normal or regular servicing that doesn’t require a major dismantling of the unit would cost you around S$60 to S$150 while a chemical wash or chemical overhaul may cost you up to S$400. Note that some companies have a call-out charge on top of the service fee.
Every company will offer a different experience for every customer depending on their years of experience and technical expertise.
Conclusion
Air conditioners have become an essential part of keeping ourselves and our family comfortable in these modern times. Purchasing an air conditioner is one thing, but having it perform optimally is another thing. If we fail to give our air conditioner the proper care and maintenance that it needs, that comfort might turn into a kind of discomfort that could come from expensive aircon repairs or worse, aircon replacement.
Check out our aircon servicing checklist to see which type of aircon servicing is right for you.
