Servicing ducted AC

My 3 yo 3bd unit in Sydney has ducted AC, never a problem

understand as a landlord I should service the AC annually? Something I know nothing about.

I found a good company used by my strata and they charge 200-300 which is reasonable and expected

just curious to know the benefits of annual servicing and if I should bother ? Thanks

 

A "service" for a ducted system is like that of a spilt system. Filters inside should be regularly cleaned and failure to do that may mean poor performance but not failure. Otherwise a AC unit is not serviceable. Any fan noise or issues with operation need a service call to address potential repairs eg fan unit failure, lost gas. Its a common myth that AC's "lose gas". They only do this if a leak occurs. If that happens only a licensed tech can diagnose the cause. AC's dont "lost" gas. Many issues can cause a AC to stop incl faulty compresser or electrical issues.

A "service" is potentially of benefit only to check interior filters but if its not co-ordinated with a tenant it could be a waste of money.

 

I would recommend a service every 12 month before Summer.
Reasons; When in Summer you will struggle to get someone out. Most companies are booked out till late Jan now. The indoor unit is used as an evaporator so it is important that the condensate drain is clear otherwise you risk water leaks inside especially if you don't have an emergency tray installed. It is also a good time for the Technician to treat any rust or clean the evaporator or condenser coils.
Technicians don't really put gauges on systems anymore as there are too many variables with inverter system, Inverter frequency, Indoor and outdoor Temps. Most units will bring up a fault code if short of refrigerant through monitoring the compressor frequency and current draw. Also the discharge pipe thermistor can also trigger a fault for low refrigerant.
The Technician should also check the duct work to ensure none of it has come off.

 

Servicing from a good contractor also includes a proper clean of the airways to get rid of mould. I personally think annual servicing is over the top, but find mould growth in most homes justifies a good service and clean every couple of years. I left the one in my house a bit over three years till it was REALLY gross, even though we could see mould after two, but hey, what would we do without a good challenge to the immune system every now and then hah!

The trick is finding a good contractor. Most Electricians will just check gas levels and operation, wipe down the filters and leave the rest. I found an awesome bloke up here who disassembles half the thing and cleans everything.