Maintenance you can do yourself
1) Dust Filters
Clean the filter with water every 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure the filter is dry before placing it back.
2) Indoor Unit Cover
You can either remove the cover and wash it or you can use vacuum cleaner with a brush head attachment without removing the cover.
3) Evaporator Coil
Using a vacuum clean with a brush head attachment, lightly 'sweep' in the same direction as the aluminium fins. Please ensure that the power is disconnected, coil is dry before proceeding and be-careful not to bent the fins.
4) Drainage Pipe
If you are able to locate the drainage hose opening in the indoor unit, you can use a hose and carefully do a 'flush through'.
Another method is to attach your vacuum clean hose to the drainage out and let it 'suck' for about 15mins.
But in any case, it will still be advisable to approach professional help.
5) Outdoor Unit
The basic principle is to keep your outdoor unit area (which also means aircon ledge) clean and free from debris.
In any case, you wished to do some minor cleaning, you can use a hose and spray water through the condenser coil. Try to do it during rainy days so that your neighbours below will not complain.
In addition, do not use too high a water pressure as you might accidently bend the aluminium fins. The idea here is just to clean the condenser coil lightly.
Nevertheless, it will still be advisable to approach professional help.
Note:
If any of you, readers, are doing these maintenance, dun mind take some pictures and email to me so that i can post it up. Thanks!
If you have any good self maintenance tips to share with the rest of the readers, you can also email me and i will post it up. Thanks!
Why is my indoor unit noisy?
For those whose indoor unit is causing you to lose sleep every night, it might be due to the following reasons
1) The bracket securing the indoor unit to the wall is not screwed tightly thus causing 'rattling' noise when the indoor unit is in operation.
2) At times, due to the uneven wall, the indoor unit can never be mounted 'leveled' . Thus it is important to choose a solid support.
3) After sometime, there will be dust and dirt accumulated on the inner horizontal fan in the indoor unit. This caused virbrations. (due to 'additional' weight distributed unevenly on the fan, resulting in unbalanced forces)
Clean the inner fan will solve the problem.
** For those having Mitsubishi Electric Easy Clean models, you can DIY.
** For other models, you might have to dismantle the cover first, which is better left the professional, before you can gain access to the inner fan.
(It is not really that hard, just observed the next time someone comes down to do your air con servicing)
** For some models, like McQuay, you just need to unscrew 2 screws at the bottom and you can see the fan. You do not need to take out the cover.
4) If u have used the air conditioner for years, it might be due to the normal wear and tear of the bearing and motor. In this case, you can either change the parts or live with it till you decided to get a new one.
5) It is normal for you to hear creaking noise especially when you on the air con initially. This is due to expansion and contraction of the cover.
General Tips
1) Never install your indoor unit directly above your bed or electrical appliances as you never know when it is going to leak (water).
2) Do not flush the indoor unit to the ceiling as the flat panel indoor units are designed to have its air intake mostly from the top instead of the front.
3) Always try to minimise the piping length and not install the piping behind any cabinets or any inaccessible areas.
4) Do not use strong chemicals to clean the exterior of the indoor units, just a clean, stain free cloth will do. The exterior should only have dust so you need not scrub it.
5) Do not use hot water to clean the dust filter, it will deform the plastic. Use will cold water to flush through or use a vaccum cleaner. Please handle with care. It is fraglie.
6) Leave the dust filter to dry normally. Do not use hair dyer or leave in direct sunlight.
7) Do not attempt to dismantle and clean in the interior of the indoor units yourself as you will caused a lot of air con technicans to lose their jobs. In addition to that, improper assembly will cause excessive noise and vibration or worst, short circuit.
8) When quarreling with your other half, do not use the remote control as a weapon to throw at him/her, remote do not come cheap (on average about $100), try using the pillow instead.
9) Try not to set the temperture at 20'C or below, you are wasting energy. Research shows that 24'C is a comfortable temperature for most human. Surely there got to be exceptions, if a doctor have certified that you have a melting point of 24'C then go ahead set at 20'C.
10) Install your fan coil at a shaded area of the room or home.
11) Lasltly, support the Singapore Energy Labelling
Scheme by NCCC,
and buy only ENERGY LABELLED
PRODUCTS!!!!
For list of Energy Labelled Air Conditioners, u can log on to www.nccc.gov.sg
The Usual Problems
1) Water Leakage at Indoor Unit
Water leakage occurs when the water drainage pipe is choked with 'algae' and dirt thus causing the water from condensation inside the evaporator unit unable to flow smoothly into the drainage hole in the toilet. This is very normal and unavoidable. This usually occurs after 1.5 years to 2 years of usage. You just need to get a general service to flush through your drainage pipe. ( If you want to save money, then connect your vacuum cleaner head to the end of the drainage pipe. It does help a bit.. )
BUT!!! If this occurs just after a few months of installation and usage, it might mean the installation is not done properly. The drainage pipe might be installed too straight or titled to the wrong side.
2) Water Leakage from the trunking
Do not confuse this with condensation. Water leakage means water dripping from the trunking. ( condensation is water droplets forming on the trunking and drip little by little ) For such a case, the joints at the water drainage pipe might not have been connected properly or there might be some cracks in the water drainage pipe. Get the installer to check.
3) Condensation on the trunking
Water droplets forming on the trunking. This occurs when the environment is very humid. For example, the room closest to the outdoor unit is not using the air con but the room further away is using air con. In this case, condensation will occurs in the trunking of the nearer room. But this condensation is normal and pose little problem.
BUT!!! If you noticed the condensation occurs even in the air conditioned room or water kept dripping down, it means the insulation is not good enough. One of the solution is to increase the insulation thickness.
Do also take note, if you intend to conceal or run your trunking inside or behind false ceilings,L-box or wardrobe, please increase the thickness of the insulation to at least 1/2 inches or as recommended by the manufacturer.
4) Not cold enough
It can be due to insulation wear off thus exposing the copper pipe to the environment (especially near the outdoor unit) or the refrigerant is insufficent due to poor installation of copper pipe. In either way, get a general service.
Or your air con might be size wrongly. Or too many people in the room. Or the presence of heat source. Or you set your mode to 'FAN' instead of cool. Or your temperature is set too high. Or the air con is blowing at the wrong direction.
BUT!!!! If you have not been cleaning your dust fliter for the past few months, IT IS YOUR FAULT!!! Self maintenance is very important.
5) Compressor very noisy
If you have used the air conditioner for more than 4 years, that is quite normal as the compressor wear out due to daily usage. In addition, some parts may have loosen.
If you have bought an unknown air con brand, then blame on yourself.
If this occurs at the first 4 years, get someone to check as most manufacturers provide 5 year compressor warranty.
6) Indoor unit very noisy
The installation of the indoor unit is not done well. Thus when the indoor unit operates, the plastic cover knocks against the casing or the casing against the wall. But sometimes it may also be the uneven wall. This can be solve by slotting thin pieces to insulation sheets to try level the indoor unit.
7) Air con will not ON
Sensor spoil or remote control spoil. You just have get it repair.
Surely there may be other causes but too many to talk about.
Take note: remote controls are not under any warranty. You have to buy a new one when it spoils.
You can either choose to purchase
- a Univerisal remote controller from hardware stores.
- Original remote controller from the manufacturer or authorised dealer.
- 2nd hand remote controller from any air conditioner retail shops.
8) Water dripping from the outdoor unit
Many of you will have experienced your neighbour's (above) air con dripping water onto your outdoor unit every night, especially when the night is hot and humid. This is actually very normal as parts of the outdoor unit is cold (due to the refrigderant).
Generally, the above will drip onto you and you drip to the one below. So there should not be much of a complain.
But if you want to solve this problem, u can install a water tray below your outdoor unit.
*Not allowed currently due to "mosquito breeding" issue.
Another solution to wrap insulation sheets around those "cold" areas of the outdoor unit.
There are many other problems that we do face when using air conditioner. Some may be due to manufacturer defects but at a lot times, poor installation and materials are the main reasons.
Therefore from the start you should choose a retail shop based on good workmanship, correct installation procedures and materials and good after sales service rather than price alone.
Warranty
Manfacturer /Agent/ Equipment Warranty
Most of the brands in Singapore have 5 years warranty on compressor and 1 year on parts.
(this is the standard for most brands at the moment)
This is also a hint how long your air con lasted....anything more than 5 years u should be grateful.
Anyway, according to Daikin's website FAQ (http://www.daikin.com.sg/faq.asp), the general life span is around 6-7 years.
Compressor only refers to the 'machine' inside the outdoor unit.
Parts refers to everything else except compressor, remote control, refrigerant and installation.
Also to take note, Labour and Transportation charges are also not included after the first year so you will still need to pay when something cock up.
This is the manufacturer warranty therefore you will be given the warranty cards after the installation with the company stamp. If you bought a System 3, you should have 1 for your compressor and 3 for your indoor units..total 4.
Installation Warranty
The Installation warranty is provided by the dealer or installer. It is usually between 1 year to 3 years. ( with some giving 4 to 6 years...but who knows they will still be around next month... )
Do ask before purchase what are the terms and conditions for the warranty and whether labour and transportation costs are included for the entire duration of warranty.
Generally, the installation warranty will include all problems ( including leaking, breakage, not cold ) except problems due to manufacture defects. This also does not include servicing of air con. You will be given an installation warranty card after installation. In some cases, the sales invoice will be the warranty card.
Extented Warranty
Some retailers/dealers do persuade/recommend consumers to purchase 'Extended Warranty', increasing your 1 year parts warranty to 5 years. It is really up to you as to whether you feel it is worthwhile.
Please bear in mind this extension is not warrantied by the manufacturer but by an external insurance company in most cases. In some cases, you must sign a service contract before the extension will be valid.
