Aircon Servicing: How Often Should You Do It and Why

The short answer: once a year, before summer

How often should you service your aircon? For a standard residential unit in South Africa, the answer from manufacturers and service companies is consistent: a professional service at least once a year, ideally before the summer heat peaks. Units that run hard — aircons in shops, offices, or homes where they run almost daily — should be serviced every six months.

Between those professional services, a few minutes of DIY care every few weeks keeps the unit running efficiently. Servicing is not an optional luxury; it is what protects the most expensive appliance in many homes.

What a professional aircon service actually includes

1. Cleaning the air filters and inspecting the indoor unit.

2. Cleaning the indoor evaporator coil and the outdoor condenser coil.

3. Clearing the condensate drain so water flows away instead of dripping inside.

4. Checking refrigerant pressures and looking for leaks — low gas means a leak, and the leak gets fixed, not just topped up.

5. Testing electrical components, connections and the capacitor.

6. Checking the fan, the thermostat and the remote functions.

7. Advising on surge protection, especially after load shedding.

A proper service catches small problems while they are cheap. Most serious aircon failures — burned-out compressors, dead circuit boards — were small faults months earlier.

Why once a year matters, even when it seems fine

A unit that 'seems fine' is usually working harder than it should. Dust on the coils makes the system run longer and use more electricity to reach the same temperature, and in South Africa's rising-tariff environment that cost is real. Clean coils and a correct gas charge are the difference between an efficient unit and one that quietly inflates your bill.

Servicing also protects your warranty — most manufacturers require regular professional maintenance to keep cover valid — and extends the life of the compressor, the single most expensive part in the system. And because a service includes an electrical check, it catches the surge damage from load shedding before it becomes a breakdown in the middle of a heatwave.

What you can do yourself between services

The filter is your job. Take it out every few weeks through summer, wash it with warm water and mild soap, dry it fully and refit it. A blocked filter is the most common cause of weak cooling and higher running costs.

Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, dust and anything leaning against it, make sure the condensate drain is not blocked, and give the unit a short monthly run even in winter to keep the compressor healthy. That routine, plus one professional service a year, is the entire recipe.

Signs you are overdue for a service

If the air is not as cold as it used to be, the unit is noisier, the room takes longer to cool, water drips from the indoor unit, or the electricity bill has crept up in summer, you are overdue. These are the warning signs our guide to air conditioning repairs covers in detail — and every one of them is cheaper to fix at service time than as an emergency call in December.

Does every type of aircon need the same care?

The annual rule applies across the common types, but each has its own emphasis. A split system needs its indoor filter and both coils attended to, and the pipe connection between indoor and outdoor units checked. A ceiling cassette — common in shops and offices — has filters that are easy to forget because the unit is out of sight, and its condensate pump needs checking so water does not back up into the ceiling. A window unit needs its filter, drain holes and chassis checked, and the seal around it inspected. A ducted system has the largest filter surface of all, and it matters most, because dirty ducts push dust through the whole home.

If your aircon is in a commercial space — a shop, office, restaurant or cold room — step the service up to every six months. These units run long hours, and the cost of a breakdown in a shop or a lost cold-room load is far higher than the price of a service.

Book before the heatwave, not during it

Every year the same pattern repeats: units fail in the first real heatwave, and service slots fill up overnight. Book your annual service before summer, not when the unit dies on a 35-degree afternoon.

Leon's Air Conditioning services and repairs all major aircon brands across Kariega, KwaNobuhle, Despatch, Gqeberha and the wider Nelson Mandela Bay, Monday to Friday 08:00–18:00 and Saturday 08:00–17:00. Call 041 992 3363 or request a quote online — one service a year is a small price to protect the system that keeps your home cool.

Frequently asked questions about aircon servicing

Q: How often should I clean my aircon filter?

A: Every few weeks during heavy summer use. A blocked filter is the most common cause of weak cooling.

Q: What is the difference between a service and a repair?

A: A service is scheduled maintenance — cleaning, checking pressures and testing components. A repair fixes a fault that has already happened.

Q: Is servicing an old aircon worth it?

A: Usually yes. Servicing keeps an old unit running efficiently and can delay an expensive replacement — though if the unit is very old and on R22 gas, replacement is often the better long-term call.

Q: How long does an aircon service take?

A: A professional service typically takes 45 minutes to an hour for a standard split system.

Q: Do you service aircons that other companies installed?

A: Yes. Leon's Air Conditioning services all major brands, wherever the unit was originally installed.