WHAT HAPPENS DURING SERVICING AND CHEMICAL WASHING?
Getting your units regularly cleaned helps a lot as well. All the dirt and dust that accumulate in the air vents and filter can impede the cool air’s flow and cause the air-conditioner to use more energy to reach the set temperature, according to the Energy Efficient Singapore website.
You can clean the filter yourself every two to three weeks if you’re a heavy user (that is, your air-conditioner is switched on day and night daily), said Dr Lieu. Clean the filter more frequently if your room is dusty, he said. “Just make sure that the filters are properly cleaned and dried before putting them back into the air-conditioners.”
In the meantime, arrange for professional servicing twice a year, if you only switch on your air-conditioner at night, said Dr Lieu. “If you are a heavy user, opt for servicing three or four times a year,” he said.
Servicing will typically involve “cleaning the air filter (and other filters, depending on the model), indoor fan coil unit; vacuuming the drainpipe; and checking the compressor motor’s lubrication, compressor suction, discharge pressure and refrigerant level”, he explained.