When A Chemical Wash Is The Right Answer
Routine aircon servicing handles surface dust and a quick drainage flush — but it cannot reach the biofilm and scale build-up caked deep inside the evaporator coil. After 2–3 years of use in Singapore’s humidity, that build-up becomes the main reason your aircon smells musty, leaks water, or stops cooling at its rated BTU capacity.
A chemical wash dismantles the indoor fan coil, soaks the coil and blower wheel in an alkaline chemical reagent, and flushes the drainage line from the inside out. It’s the deepest clean possible without replacing the unit — and it usually restores most mid-life systems to near-factory cooling.
What’s The Difference Between Wash And Overhaul?
- Non-dismantle chemical wash (S$90/unit): the coil stays mounted, but alkaline solution is sprayed through the fins with catch basins below. Suitable when the unit is fairly recent (under 3 years) and only lightly fouled.
- Dismantle chemical wash (S$120/unit): the fan coil is removed from the wall, soaked in a dedicated chemical bath for 30–45 minutes, then pressure-rinsed. Standard fix for most 3–7 year old systems.
- Full chemical overhaul (S$150–180/unit): adds the outdoor condenser — compressor externally cleaned, condenser fins degreased, new insulation applied where needed. Recommended every 3–5 years for units older than 7 years.
All three include a vacuum leak test before reassembly and are covered by our 90-day workmanship warranty.
What The Job Looks Like On-Site
- Arrival & prep (~15 minutes): shoe covers on, drop cloth under the unit, and we photograph the pre-wash condition for your records.
- Dismantle (~20 minutes): fan coil cover removed, blower wheel and evaporator coil extracted. You’ll see the state of the coil before it’s cleaned — no hiding what was there.
- Chemical soak (~30–45 minutes): alkaline reagent applied, biofilm loosened, mould eradication treatment for the drainage tray.
- Rinse & reassemble (~20 minutes): coil pressure-rinsed with distilled water, blower reinstalled, mounting bracket re-checked.
- Test & vacuum (~15 minutes): system powered up, cold-discharge temperature measured, vacuum leak test performed. Before/after photos shared via WhatsApp.
Total on-site time: 90 minutes to 2 hours per unit, or around 3 hours for a full indoor + outdoor overhaul.
Signs You Need A Chemical Wash (Not Just Servicing)
- Musty or “wet gym clothes” smell from the unit even after a fresh servicing
- Water dripping from the fan coil cover despite a recent drainage clean
- Cooling capacity has noticeably dropped (the bedroom that used to take 10 minutes now takes 30)
- Visible black residue on the fan coil fins or blower wheel
- Electricity bill has climbed 20–30% with no change in usage
If two or more of these apply, a chemical wash will almost certainly solve it. Routine servicing won’t.
What We Bring — And What Stays Clean
Our van carries: industry-grade alkaline reagent (non-corrosive, HDB-safe), pressure-rinse equipment, nitrogen tank for leak testing, vacuum pumps, new drainage-tray insulation, manufacturer-spec replacement filters, and a thermal imaging camera for the compressor check.
Your floors, walls and furniture stay untouched — drop cloth, vacuum, shoe covers every visit. That’s non-negotiable team policy.