Aircon Servicing & Repair in Bundaberg

A musty smell means mould or bacteria on the evaporator coil or in the drain pan — fixed with a chemical wash. A burning smell can be dust on a heater element or a failing motor and is worth an inspection. A vinegar-like or chemical smell can indicate a refrigerant leak; turn the unit off and call a technician.

A common rule: if the repair costs more than half the price of a new unit, or the system is over 10-12 years old and needs a compressor or coil replacement, replace it. Newer inverter units are typically 30-50% more efficient, so heavy users recoup part of the cost through lower bills.

Get 2-3 quotes and compare what each service actually includes — some cheap quotes cover only a filter rinse. Check for the refrigerant-handling certification required in your country, ask how long they have serviced your brand and type of system, and read recent reviews that mention follow-up visits, not just the first appointment.

A standard clean-and-check takes 30-45 minutes per indoor unit. A chemical wash takes about an hour per unit, and a full chemical overhaul (where the unit is dismantled) takes 1.5-2 hours per unit. Multi-unit visits are faster per unit.

Check the simple things first: thermostat mode and setpoint, dirty filters, and blocked outdoor unit airflow. If those are fine, the usual culprits are low refrigerant from a leak, a failed capacitor or fan motor, or a dirty coil. Low refrigerant always means a leak — a technician should find and fix the leak, not just top up the gas.

The most common cause is a clogged condensate drain line — dirt and algae block the pipe and water backs up into the room. Other causes are a dirty evaporator coil that ices over and then melts, a cracked drain pan, or an incorrectly sloped drain pipe. A drain flush during a standard service usually fixes it.

A standard single-split service runs $100-$200; a deep clean of the indoor head is $150-$300. Ducted system services cost more, typically $180-$350. Prices spike in December-February, so book in spring.

In most states, maintenance and repair of a supplied air conditioner is the landlord's responsibility, while tenants are expected to clean filters. Report faults in writing; urgent repairs (e.g. no cooling in extreme heat where AC is provided) have fast-track provisions in several states.