Air conditioning servicing in Maidstone

What a service covers

• Cleaning or washing the filters and cleaning the indoor coil and fan
• Clearing the condensate drain and checking that it falls away properly
• Clearing leaves and dirt from the outdoor unit and checking its fins and base
• Checking electrical connections, controls and the isolator
• Measuring air temperatures and the running performance
• Checking for signs of a refrigerant leak, and keeping any records the law requires

How often does air conditioning need servicing?

Check the maker's handbook first, because a warranty may depend on it. Most home systems should have a yearly service, and spring is the sensible time, before the first hot spell. Businesses with dusty air, heavy use or round-the-clock running, such as salons, restaurants and server rooms, may need it more often. Between services, wash or vacuum the filters as the handbook describes. Most people can do that themselves.

Legal leak checks

Equipment holding 5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent or more must be leak-checked at least once a year, and at least every six months from 50 tonnes. R32 has a global warming potential of 675, so 5 tonnes is about 7.4kg of R32. The older R410A has a potential of 2,088, so the same threshold is only about 2.4kg, and some older systems reach it. Most single home units are well below these limits, but the label on the outdoor unit gives the figure. Whoever operates a system over the threshold must keep records for at least five years.

Signs a system needs attention now

Water dripping from the indoor unit, ice on the pipes, a musty smell, weak airflow, or a room that takes much longer to cool than it did last year. Do not wait for the annual service if you see any of these. Book a repair, and switch the system off if it is leaking water.