Aircon Servicing & Repair in Ilford

A chemical wash cleans the coil, blower, and drain pan in place. A chemical overhaul dismantles the indoor unit completely, soaks the parts, checks bearings and seals, and reassembles it. Choose an overhaul when a wash has not fixed persistent leaks, noise, or weak cooling, or for units neglected for years.

A standard service covers cleaning or replacing filters, cleaning the evaporator coil and blower, flushing the drainage tray and pipe, checking refrigerant pressure, testing thermostat and controls, and inspecting electrical connections. It does not include repairs, parts, or refrigerant top-ups — those are quoted separately.

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.

Refrigerant does not get used up — if the level is low, there is a leak. A proper job is leak detection, repair, then regas, which costs several times a plain top-up but stops the problem recurring. Be wary of any technician who suggests routine annual top-ups.

A unit that trips the breaker at startup usually has a failing compressor, a shorted capacitor, or a wiring fault — all electrical faults that need a technician. Do not keep resetting the breaker; repeated tripping can damage the compressor beyond repair.

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.

Yes — an annual service (£60-£150 per unit) is still worth it in the UK climate because units that sit idle grow mould in the coil and drain pan, and seals dry out. Book in spring before the short summer demand spike.

Usually yes for a single outdoor condenser under permitted development rules, but there are limits on siting (e.g. distance from boundaries, not on the principal elevation facing a highway) and flats/leaseholds normally need freeholder consent. Listed buildings and conservation areas need consent.