Aircon servicing in Singapore
A general service is the routine visit that keeps an aircon running: filters washed, the fan coil and blower cleaned, the drainage flushed and the unit tested. Tell us how many units you have and where, and we’ll pass it to a partner aircon firm that services that kind of system.
The firm confirms the job, gives you a quick quote and books a time. Most homes book one visit for every unit in the flat or house, so it’s worth counting the indoor units before you send the form.
What a aircon servicing includes
The partner firm confirms what its price covers when it quotes. Usually, in this order:
- 1
Filters out and washed
The front panel is lifted, the mesh filters are taken out, washed and dried, and anything torn is pointed out to you rather than put back.
- 2
Fan coil and blower cleaned
The technician sprays and brushes the face of the cooling coil and cleans the blower wheel, the drum-shaped fan behind the louvres that collects black dust.
- 3
Drainage flushed
The drain tray is cleared and the drainage pipe is flushed through, usually with a pump or vacuum, so condensed water runs out instead of dripping indoors.
- 4
Outdoor unit checked
The condenser outside is looked over and its fins cleaned of leaves and dust where they can be reached safely from the ledge, roof or bracket.
- 5
Test run
Each unit is switched on and left to run while the technician checks the air coming out, the noise, the drainage and the remote, and tells you about anything that needs more than a service.
A general service cleans what can be reached with the unit in place. It doesn’t take the coil apart or soak it in chemical, which is what a chemical wash and a chemical overhaul are for.
When people book it
- It’s been a few months since the last service, or you don’t know when the last one was.
- You’ve moved into a home and want every unit cleaned before you settle in.
- Your tenancy agreement asks for regular servicing, or the landlord wants receipts at handover.
- An office or shop wants a regular schedule so units are serviced before they cause trouble.
How often to service, and what a general service can and can’t fix, is covered in OurKampung’s aircon servicing guide, a sister guide run by the same team.
What a aircon servicing deals with
- 1
- 2
Cooling coil · Indoor
Its front face sprayed and brushed with the unit in place.
- 3
Blower wheel · Indoor
Brushed and sprayed through the louvre opening.
- 4
- 5
Drainage pipe · Indoor to outside
Flushed through with a pump or vacuum.
- 6
Condenser coil · Outdoor
Fins cleared of leaves and dust where they can be reached.
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
This page
-
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
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 indoor units there are. Firms price per unit, and the rate per unit usually falls as the number rises.
- The type of unit: wall-mounted fan coils are the quickest, while ceiling cassettes and ducted units take longer.
- Whether you book a one-off visit or a contract with visits spread across the year.
- How easy the outdoor units are to reach, from an aircon ledge, a roof or a high wall bracket.
- Anything found on the day that needs more than a service, which the firm should price separately before doing it.
Comparing quotes
Compare the price per unit at the number of units you have, whether the outdoor unit is included, and whether a contract with visits through the year works out cheaper than one-off visits.
How to prepare, and what happens on the day
Before the visit
- Count the indoor units and note which rooms they’re in, so the firm brings enough time and the right equipment.
- Clear a space under each indoor unit and move anything fragile off the furniture below it.
- Make sure the window to the aircon ledge can be opened, and clear any plants or laundry racks out there.
- Note any unit that drips, smells or cools poorly, so the technician can look at it first.
On the day
- 1 The technician puts down a sheet or a catch bag under each unit before opening it.
- 2 Units are serviced one at a time, and each is tested before the next is opened.
- 3 Water from the drainage flush is caught and carried away rather than left on the floor.
- 4 At the end you’re shown each unit running, and told about anything that needs a chemical wash or a repair.
Afterwards
Run each unit for a while and check that it cools and drains normally. Keep the receipt or service report, especially if you rent, since landlords often ask for it at handover. If a unit drips or smells again within days, tell the firm that did the service first.
Aircon servicing 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
Most HDB flats have a multi-split system: one outdoor compressor on the aircon ledge serving two to four fan coils. A service covers every fan coil plus the outdoor unit, reached through the window. Mention your flat type, so the firm knows roughly how many units to expect.
Condos
Condo units often have more fan coils, sometimes including a ceiling cassette in the living room. Many condos ask contractors to register at the guardhouse and work within set hours, so check the rules with management before the visit.
Landed homes
Landed homes usually have several outdoor units, sometimes on the roof or a high bracket, and more fan coils spread across floors. Tell the firm how the outdoor units are reached, since ladders or extra time may be needed.
Offices
Offices often have ceiling cassettes or ducted units, which take longer per unit than wall-mounted ones. Servicing can usually be done before or after office hours, and building management may need to approve the work and access.
Questions about aircon servicing
How long does a general service take?
Allow a little under an hour for each wall-mounted unit, and longer for ceiling cassettes and ducted units. A typical flat with several fan coils is a morning or an afternoon. The firm will give you a better idea once it knows how many units you have.
Do I need to be home?
Someone needs to let the technician in, show them the units and see each one running at the end. In an office, building management or a staff member can do this.
Can I book a servicing contract?
Yes. Many firms offer contracts with visits spread across the year, which usually cost less per visit than booking each one separately. Ask for both prices when the firm quotes.
Will the service stop my aircon dripping?
Often, because a dirty coil and a blocked drainage pipe are the usual causes, and a general service deals with both. If it keeps dripping afterwards, the unit may need a chemical wash or a repair, and the technician should tell you which.
Get a quick aircon servicing 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.
