Aircon chemical overhaul in Singapore
A chemical overhaul is the most thorough clean an aircon gets. The fan coil is taken off the wall and stripped down to its parts, and the coil, blower, drain tray and casing are soaked in a cleaning solution, scrubbed and rinsed before the unit is rebuilt and remounted.
It’s more work than a chemical wash and takes longer, so it’s usually kept for units in a bad state. Tell us which units you’re thinking of and why, and we’ll pass it to a partner aircon firm, which confirms whether an overhaul is what the unit needs and gives you a quick quote.
What a aircon chemical overhaul includes
The partner firm confirms what its price covers when it quotes. Usually, in this order:
- 1
Unit taken down
The fan coil is disconnected and lifted off its mounting plate, with the refrigerant pipes and drainage protected while it’s off the wall.
- 2
Dismantled into parts
Casing, louvres, blower wheel, motor cover, drain tray and the coil itself are separated, so nothing is cleaned only from the front.
- 3
Parts soaked and scrubbed
Each part is soaked in a cleaning solution, usually in a tub set up in the bathroom or service yard, then scrubbed to lift mould and grime from places a wash can’t reach.
- 4
Rinsed and dried
Parts are rinsed thoroughly and left to dry, so no solution or water goes back inside the unit.
- 5
Rebuilt and remounted
The unit is reassembled, hung back on its mounting, reconnected and its drainage checked for a proper fall to the outlet.
- 6
Tested
The unit is run while the technician checks cooling, airflow, noise and drainage, and you’re shown it working before they leave.
Most overhauls cover the indoor fan coil. Ask whether the outdoor unit is cleaned too, and whether a gas check is included or priced separately.
When people book it
- A unit is mouldy inside, or a chemical wash hasn’t cleared the smell or the dirt.
- Black slime keeps coming back in the drain tray or on the blower.
- A unit hasn’t been serviced for years, or a home has stood empty for a long time.
- You’re keeping an older unit going rather than replacing it, and want it cleaned to its parts.
The difference between a chemical wash and an overhaul, and when the extra work is worth it, is set out in OurKampung’s aircon servicing guide, a sister guide run by the same team.
What a aircon chemical overhaul deals with
- 1
Filters · Indoor
Washed with the other parts once the unit is down.
- 2
Cooling coil · Indoor
Lifted out of the casing and soaked in a tub.
- 3
- 4
- 5
Drainage pipe · Indoor to outside
Disconnected while the unit is down, then reconnected with a proper fall.
General servicing, chemical wash or chemical overhaul
The three cleaning services differ in how far the unit is taken apart. Side by side:
-
Level 1
General servicing
Unit stays up, front opened
- Filters washed
- Coil face and blower cleaned
- Drainage flushed
- Unit tested
-
Level 2
Chemical wash
Unit stays up, wrapped in a catch bag
- Everything in a service
- Coil treated and rinsed through
- Blower and drain tray washed
- Outdoor coil often washed
-
Level 3
Chemical overhaul
Unit taken down and stripped to parts
- Everything in a wash
- Every part soaked and scrubbed
- Casing cleaned inside and out
- Rebuilt, remounted, tested
This page
Each level takes longer than the one before, so it usually costs more. Which one a unit needs is explained in OurKampung’s aircon servicing guide, a sister guide run by the same team.
What affects the price
It comes with a quick quote. The firm will ask about:
- How many units need an overhaul. Each one is a substantial job on its own.
- The type of unit. Ceiling cassettes and ducted units are a bigger job to take down and strip than wall-mounted fan coils.
- The unit’s condition, including seized screws, brittle plastic or parts that need replacing.
- Whether the outdoor unit is cleaned and whether a gas check or top-up is part of the job.
- Access to the unit and to water and a drain where the parts can be soaked.
Comparing quotes
Ask whether the outdoor unit and a gas check are included, what happens if an old part breaks while the unit is apart, and how long the firm expects each unit to take.
How to prepare, and what happens on the day
Before the visit
- Clear a generous space around and under each unit, since it will be lifted down and carried.
- Free up a bathroom or service yard where the parts can be soaked, and move toiletries and laundry out of the way.
- Tell the firm about any unit that’s very old, has been repaired before, or has a cracked casing.
- Plan to be without that room’s aircon for most of the visit.
On the day
- 1 The technician isolates the unit, then takes it down and lays out the parts on a sheet.
- 2 Parts are soaked, scrubbed and rinsed while the next unit is taken down, if there’s more than one.
- 3 Each unit is rebuilt and remounted once its parts are dry.
- 4 Every unit is run and checked, and you’re shown each one cooling and draining before the technician leaves.
Afterwards
Run the unit for a while and check that it drains without dripping, since the drainage has been disconnected and reconnected. A faint smell of the cleaning solution can last briefly. Keep the service report, and raise anything that isn’t right with the firm first.
Aircon chemical overhaul in homes and offices
The same service is a different job in a flat, a landed house or an office. Here’s what changes.
HDB flats
In an HDB flat the overhaul usually happens in the bathroom or service yard, where the parts can be soaked and drained. The outdoor compressor on the aircon ledge stays where it is; ask the firm whether it’s cleaned as part of the job.
Condos
Condos often have rules about contractor registration and working hours, and some ask that no work spills into the corridor. Overhauling a ceiling cassette is a bigger job than a wall unit, so mention any cassettes in the form.
Landed homes
In a landed home the parts can often be soaked outdoors, in a yard or by the back door, which makes the job easier. Mention units on upper floors or with long drainage runs.
Offices
Offices usually book overhauls for a weekend or after hours, since the unit is down for most of the visit. Ceiling cassettes and ducted units may need building management’s approval and access to the ceiling space.
Questions about aircon chemical overhaul
How long does a chemical overhaul take?
Allow a few hours per unit, because it’s taken down, stripped, soaked, dried and rebuilt. The firm will estimate the time once it knows the number and type of units.
Is the unit taken away?
Usually not. Most overhauls are done on site, with the parts soaked in a bathroom, service yard or outdoor area. Ask the firm if you’d rather it worked somewhere specific.
Can an old unit be damaged by an overhaul?
Old plastic can be brittle and old screws can seize, so a firm may warn you before taking an old unit apart. Ask what happens if a part breaks, and get any replacement priced before it’s fitted.
Does every unit in the home need an overhaul?
Rarely. It’s usually one or two units in the worst state, with a general service or chemical wash for the rest. Describe each unit in the form and the firm will suggest what each needs.
Get a quick aircon chemical overhaul quote
Tell us the service, how many units and roughly where you are. It takes a minute, and there's no obligation to book.
Thank you. Your enquiry is on its way.
We usually reply within one working day. We'll pass your enquiry to a partner aircon firm, which will contact you to confirm the job and give you a quote.
There's nothing else you need to do. If you left something out, send another enquiry.
