Air conditioning without maintenance will sooner or later announce itself – through poorer cooling, dripping water or an unpleasant odour from the indoor unit. In Plzeň we service units installed by us as well as air conditioners fitted in flats and houses on Slovanech, Doubravka or Lochotín by other companies. Maintenance does not cost a fortune and takes only a few hours, so it pays not to leave it until the last moment before the season.
How often to service an air conditioner
For standard domestic use, we recommend servicing. once a yearideally in spring before the season starts, when the unit runs at full capacity throughout summer. For offices and workplaces where air conditioning operates almost year-round and the air is dustier, servicing twice a year pays off. Additionally, you can remove and rinse the indoor unit filters yourself once every one to two months; this extends the interval between professional services and ensures the unit moves more air throughout the period.
Why regular cleaning is important
A clogged evaporator and blocked filters are not just a matter of performance. Dust and moisture in the indoor unit provide a breeding ground for mould and bacteria, which are then carried into the room by the airflow – in bedrooms and children's rooms this is often the first sign why servicing should not be delayed. A clogged unit also has to work longer and harder to achieve the same cooling or heating output, so it consumes significantly more electricity than a unit after regular servicing. In flats where air conditioning runs practically all summer, this difference is clearly visible on the electricity bill.
What the service includes
- Cleaning and disinfection of the evaporator and filters in the indoor unit.
- Leak test of the refrigeration circuit and inspection of the outdoor unit condition.
- Top-up of R32 refrigerant if inspection reveals a loss – always with F-gas certification.
- Check of condensate drainage to ensure water does not drip outside the designated path.
- Inspection of electrical connections and compressor operation.
How much does a service cost
Basic servicing of one wall-mounted unit costs from 1 000 KčThe final price depends on the accessibility of the unit (floor level, location of the outdoor unit), whether it is a single split unit or multiple units in a multisplit system, and if refrigerant top-up is required. For servicing multiple units at once – typically a multisplit in a detached house – the price per unit is usually lower than for a separate visit.
How long a service takes
Servicing a standard wall-mounted unit typically takes one to two hours, including filter cleaning, circuit inspection and a test run. For multisplit systems, the time is multiplied by the number of indoor units, but since the technician does not need to re-address the outdoor unit or piping, the total time per unit usually decreases. You can schedule your service appointment for a specific date and time in advance, without waiting for an available slot in the calendar.
How to tell when servicing is needed
- The unit cools or heats noticeably less effectively than before.
- A musty or unpleasant odour is noticeable from the indoor unit upon switching on.
- Water is dripping from the unit outside the designated condensate drain.
- Operation is louder than at the start, especially when the compressor starts up.
- The unit has not been running for some time, for example after a winter shutdown in a cabin or business premises.
We also service air conditioners from other companies.
You need not worry that we will only attend to units we installed ourselves. In Plzeň, we regularly service air conditioners installed by other companies – in older flats on housing estates this mainly concerns units whose original installer is no longer active on the market. If you are still deciding which air conditioner and what capacity to purchase for your flat, read our article. Which air conditioner for an apartment Correct selection of capacity also affects how often the unit will require servicing.
For detached houses in Doubravka or Lochotín, where a multisplit with two to three indoor units is typically installed, we recommend scheduling servicing for all units during a single visit – the technician already has the procedure underway and you do not need to take time off for service more than once per season. We follow the same approach for office spaces in central Plzeň, where servicing is usually planned outside working hours to avoid disrupting operations.