For most aircons, a chemical wash is the right call. An overhaul is for the units that are very dirty, or that nobody has serviced for more than a year. That is the whole decision. The rest of this post is how to tell which side your unit falls on.
What each job actually does
A chemical wash cleans the parts we can reach with the unit still together. That means the coils, the fan and the filter. We use chemical agents to break down the dirt, mould and blockages that build up there.
An overhaul goes further. We take the unit apart, clean every internal component deeply, put it back together and test it. It takes more work, so it costs more.
So the difference is not "gentle versus strong". It is how much of the unit we open up.
The price gap
These are the prices on our pricing page.
| Unit size | Chemical wash | Overhaul |
|---|---|---|
| 1HP and 1.5HP | RM120 | RM200 |
| 2HP and 2.5HP | RM150 | RM250 |
An overhaul costs RM80 more than a wash for a 1HP or 1.5HP unit, and RM100 more for a 2HP or 2.5HP unit. If you have three or more units washed in one visit, the wash drops to RM100 each for 1HP to 1.5HP and RM120 each for 2HP to 2.5HP. We wrote that up in what the multi-unit wash deal covers. The overhaul has no bulk rate on the price list.
Both jobs carry a 1-month water-leaking warranty. On top of that, every service has our 30-day service warranty.
When a chemical wash is enough
Pick the wash when the unit has been looked after, even loosely. Maybe it was serviced within the last year. Maybe the signs are mild: it cools less than it used to, there is a musty smell when it starts, or you can see black spots on the vents. Those are the signs we list on our FAQ page as reasons to book a chemical wash.
A wash also suits a regular routine. We suggest a basic service every 3 months and a chemical wash every 6 to 12 months. If you keep to that, you will probably never need an overhaul.
When to go straight to an overhaul
Overhaul is meant for two kinds of unit. The first is very dirty. The second is one that has gone a long time without any service, more than a year.
Think of an older unit in a rented flat where the previous tenant never touched it. Or an aircon in a house with a lot of dust, running every day, that has never had a proper clean. In those cases a wash only reaches the surface, and the dirt deeper in stays where it is.
We can't give you a rule that works by the age of the unit alone. A five-year-old aircon that was washed twice a year may be cleaner than a two-year-old one nobody has opened. What matters is how long since the last service and how it looks inside.
If you can't tell
Most people can't, and that is fine. Here is what helps us decide, and you can send it over WhatsApp before we come:
- When the unit was last serviced, even roughly.
- What you notice: weak cooling, bad smell, water dripping, black marks on the vents.
- The HP size, which is usually printed on the indoor unit.
If water is dripping from the indoor unit, a clogged drain is one possible cause, and we cover that in our post on aircon leaking water. Not every drip needs an overhaul.
When the unit is in front of us, we will say which job it needs. If a wash will do, we won't sell you the overhaul. And if the fault turns out to be something else, such as a part that needs replacing, a troubleshoot is a flat RM80. Capacitor replacement is on the same price list, from RM100.
We cover Cheras and most of the Klang Valley, with same-day slots subject to availability. WhatsApp or call 011-2677 0063 before noon with the HP size and when it was last serviced, and we'll tell you which one to book.