Air conditioning service, kept like a logbook

How often? The sources leave it to your unit

None of the official sources behind this guide sets one servicing interval for every home air conditioner. The Australian Government’s energy.gov.au suggests asking a licensed technician how often your unit should be serviced, and booking the next visit ahead.

The same page suggests a regular service inspection before the months of heaviest use, with late spring and autumn as its examples. Your Home, the government’s guide to sustainable homes, puts it another way: service heaters and coolers as the manufacturer’s instructions say, and pay special attention to cleaning the air filters. So the manual that came with your unit is the first place to look.

The logbook: six entries

1. 01
   What a service is for

   The faults official tests found, and what the regulator asks of technicians.

   Checked
2. 02
   Cleaning the filters yourself

   The part that is yours to do, three sources on how often, and where it stops.

   Checked
3. 03
   Refrigerant leaks and the law

   Why the gas may only be handled by a licensed technician.

   Checked
4. 04
   Repair or replace

   Efficiency, older star ratings and the refrigerant in an older unit.

   Checked
5. 05
   What you must not open

   Electrical work on a unit is licensed work, in four states’ own words.

   Checked
6. 06
   When a repair goes wrong

   Licence checks, certificates and where a problem can be reported.

   Checked

Why upkeep shows up on the power bill

The federal energy department had two test facilities build common faults into refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, a home split system among them, and measure what changed. The faults were a blocked condenser, a blocked evaporator, too much or too little refrigerant, and contaminated refrigerant.

Across most of the tests, energy losses averaged between 14% and 20%. When several faults existed together, energy use rose substantially, and the system was highly likely to fail if they were left alone. The department’s finding is that regular maintenance is likely to reduce what faults add to energy use and running costs over time.

Two jobs, two people

energy.gov.au draws the line in one place: servicing should be done by a licensed technician, while cleaning the dust filters improves efficiency and can be done by the householder. The National Environmental Protection Agency adds that only licensed technicians can handle refrigerants. The wiring is a third matter, licensed by each state; entry 05 gives four states’ own words on it.

Before the hot weather

NSW Health’s advice for getting ready for heat includes checking that air conditioners, fans, fridges and freezers are working properly. If your unit both heats and cools, it adds, make sure it is set to cool.