How much does Air Conditioning Maintenance Cost?

Whether you’re considering an air conditioning installation or already enjoying the benefits of air conditioning, of course you’ll want it to remain energy efficient and stay in use for many years to come. Modern air conditioning systems are fully capable of staying in full operation for up to 15-20 years and their heat pump technology is efficient by design, provided they are regularly maintained by a qualified engineer every 6 months, or at least once per year.

MAC can provide expert maintenance for as little as £10 a month (EX VAT) to ensure your air conditioning system is operating at peak efficiency with a comprehensive series of checks that include extensive cleaning, electrical testing and checking for gas leaks.

To find out more on the purpose and costs behind air conditioning maintenance, you can find out more below;

Why is air conditioning maintenance so important?

Much like any working appliance, an air conditioning system contains many parts that experience wear through repeated use. Over time, some key elements such as air filters, fan components or condenser coils may not function as efficiently, leading to a number of undesirable effects. That could be an increase in running costs, noisy operation, poor air filtration and a shorter life span for your air conditioning system overall. Regular maintenance will also highlight potential issues before they develop into problems that require repair.

Important tip

If your air conditioning system has not received regular professional maintenance it is very likely this will void your manufacturers warranty should you need to make a claim. This can lead to costly repairs that can otherwise be completely avoided.

Why should air conditioning maintenance be completed at least once a year?

Minor issues linked to your air conditioning system performance can accumulate over time and be very difficult to spot or go completely unnoticed, even when in use. For example, air filters are in constant use when your air conditioning system is in operation and they will accumulate dust and dirt when extracting it from the air. Over time and without proper cleaning, this dirt will travel through your air conditioning system and start to interfere with other internal components, such as the evaporator coil responsible for absorbing or transferring heat. This puts extra strain on your entire system and not only can diminish the heating/cooling it provides, it will also consume more power in the process. Overall, your air conditioning system will see a 4-5% drop in efficiency every year it does not receive professional maintenance.

Can’t I just complete these maintenance checks myself?

You may be tempted to save on maintenance costs with tips and guides found online, although it is not advisable to attempt maintenance on your air conditioning system if you are unqualified to do so. This can not only be dangerous but may damage your air conditioning units if not handled correctly. However, you can refer to your air conditioning user manual for instructions and guidance on basic cleaning of your indoor units, this will absolutely help toward keeping your air conditioning system in great shape!

What will an engineer do on a maintenance visit?

When referring to maintenance, summaries and generalisations can leave parts of the process ambiguous, especially when you can complete some of the basic cleaning of your indoor units yourself. For your reference below, you’ll find a core list of tasks our engineers at MAC will complete during every maintenance visit.

- A full inspection of the outdoor condenser coil and crankcase heater alongside a chemical disinfect and clean (including a high pressure nitrogen purge.)

- Complete inspection of indoor evaporator coil including a full internal/external deodorise and clean.

- Inspection, test and clean of condensate drain including pump operations where applicable.

- Full check of on/off air temperatures in line with heating/cooling functionality and leak inspection to ensure no potential for refrigerant leakage.

- Operation check of all fan motors/fan blades and chemical disinfect/clean of all system filters.

- Check of all electrical connections and components including control circuits, active time clocks and temperature sensors.

- Thorough check of external casings/facias of all units with inspection of structural integrity on both the units themselves and their wall/floor fixings to ensure they are safe and secure.

- Logging and tagging of all units for FGAS certification and to retain system history for maintenance, repair and warranty records.

What will regular air con maintenance cost?

With a clearer understanding of the importance to air conditioning maintenance and what you can expect during a visit, how much it costs and what options are available are the next step. At MAC we aim to be flexible to better suit your needs and whether your air conditioning is in a domestic or commercial setting, you are welcome to pay upfront or opt to pay monthly, depending on your preference. If you’re a domestic customer the pricing couldn’t be easier, you can see the pricing for either paying upfront or paying monthly below.*

No. of Indoor AC Units	Monthly cost – 10% saving (Domestic only)	Upfront Cost Cost (Including VAT)
1	£10	£132(Domestic) or £150(Commercial)
2	£12	£160(Domestic) or £200(Commercial)
3	£14	£185(Domestic) or £250(Commercial)
4	£15	£200(Domestic) or £300(Commercial)
5	£16	£212(Domestic) or £350(Commercial)

*If you have more than seven indoor units you will need to contact the team so we can provide you with the correct pricing.

When it comes to commercial air conditioning systems, they are typically larger and more complex with significantly bigger locations to cover; on this basis MAC will provide you with bespoke pricing depending on what you require.

Useful tip

Maintenance and callouts are often mentioned together but they are not quite the same thing. Maintenance visits are scheduled beforehand for an engineer attend to ensure your AC system is running smoothly without any prior issues being reported. A callout is in direct response to a visit request and engineer will attend to investigate your air conditioning system to find and resolve reported issues.

What happens if an engineer finds a fault during maintenance?

MAC’s engineers will always do their upmost to complete any small repairs to your air conditioning during their visit, although more extensive issues that require part replacement will not be included in your maintenance costs. The engineer will investigate the problem and establish what spares are required for the repair and we will provide you with a quotation within approximately 48 hours for a return visit so repairs can be completed. If you approve the quotation you can expect a return visit for the repair to be completed within approximately one week. Although this time may vary depending on the time of year and availability of spares from the manufacturer. Regardless, you can rest assured we will always keep you updated, and our engineers will return to complete any repairs as soon as possible.

How much Air Conditioning Maintenance Cost?

With air conditioning maintenance starting at as little as £10 a month for domestic households, keeping your air conditioning cheap to run for its maximum lifespan couldn’t be easier with MAC’s maintenance services – get in touch today to find out more at sales@midlandaircon.co.uk or call us on 0121 730 4800.