What does an air conditioner service include?
A service checks and cleans the parts that affect how well the system heats and cools. It usually covers the filters, the indoor and outdoor coils, the condensate drain, the fans and electrical connections, and a check that the system reaches the temperature it is set to.
Work on the refrigerant circuit must be done by a technician who holds a refrigerant handling licence, issued in Australia by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC). Ask what the service includes and whether it covers both the indoor and outdoor units.
My split system isn’t cooling: what should I note before a repair?
Write down what the system does. Does it start? Does it blow air that isn’t cold, cycle on and off, drip water, or show a flashing light or error code? Note the make and model from the label on the indoor unit, and when the problem started.
These notes help a technician, but they are not a diagnosis. Check the remote is set to cool and the filters are clean, and leave anything beyond that to the technician.
How often should a split system be serviced?
Follow the maintenance schedule in the manufacturer’s manual for your model. Many manuals ask owners to clean the filters regularly between professional services. If you can’t find the manual, ask a technician to suggest a schedule based on how much you use the system.
Ducted air conditioning repairs
For a ducted system, note which rooms or zones are affected, what the wall controller shows and whether the outdoor unit runs. Weak airflow from some outlets can come from a duct, zone or fan problem, and a technician will need roof or underfloor access to check it.
A fault with a gas ducted heater is a different job, covered on the ducted heating repairs page.