From haze to heavy use: How often should you really be servicing your air-con?

When hazy conditions emerged in early September, pushing air quality to unhealthy levels, it was a timely reminder for residents to check when their air-conditioning units were last serviced.

This is because prolonged haze can clog air-conditioner filters, says SP Group principal technical officer Amir Talib, 55. Amir leads a team of technicians that conducts system inspections and performs fan coil unit (FCU) servicing for the Centralised Cooling System (CCS) in Tengah.

“When an air-con filter is clogged, it restricts airflow and makes the home cooling system work harder, leading to poor cooling, higher utilities bills and potential equipment damage,” says Amir.

Besides the air-con filters clogging up, another common maintenance issue faced by users is the build-up of dirt and dust in the drainpipe, causing condensation water to flow back and leak from the FCU.

Hence, air-con servicing professionals in Singapore generally recommend adjusting servicing frequency based on factors such as usage patterns, home conditions and the surrounding environment.

While servicing every three to six months is usually adequate for most households, more frequent servicing may be worthwhile during the current haze period, as well as in homes with pets, heavier air-con usage or other conditions that result in higher levels of dust and airborne particles.

A helping hand in Tengah

In Tengah, residents using the estate’s CCS are eligible for three years of complimentary regular servicing of their FCUs and can tap on technical support via the free MyTengah Care+ programme. The system and programme are both run by SP Group.

However, about one in five Tengah households using the CCS have not enrolled in the programme, even though it offers benefits such as free, twice-yearly servicing sessions for a customer’s FCUs, regular CCS checks and workmanship warranties on piping, trunking and insulation.

Several Tengah residents who rely on the CCS note that its high energy-efficiency has already helped them to keep utilities bills manageable – critical as air-conditioning costs are likely to spike in this period of heat and haze.

Farhana Mohamed Rasip, 37, an accountant, currently pays about $50 to $80 monthly. “This is very good for me because we turn on the air-con almost every day, for more than half a day each time or even the whole day. We have three units and use two regularly.”

Safety officer Joan Tan, 41, another CCS customer, appreciates the convenience of the MyTengah Care+ programme. “I can arrange for servicing or maintenance based on my schedule, and all I need to do is book the slot on the MyTengah app. It’s very fast,” she says.

The SP Group team’s quick response has impressed her too. She shares: “I once called the 24-hour hotline at 10pm when my living room air-con was dripping a little. The team came to my house within 30 minutes and found that my drainpipe was clogged.”

Clogged drainpipes are a common issue for all air-con users, whether they use CCS or a conventional system, and can be resolved through regular servicing.

“They took out some components and washed them, and everything was fine after that,” added Tan.

Fellow Tengah resident Wong Zi Yang, a 35-year-old financial advisor, has had similarly positive experiences with the MyTengah Care+ programme. He highlights: “If a CCS user is not on the programme, I would ask them, why not?”

“It is free, and residents can be assured that, with SP Group’s technicians, they are in good hands.”

Cooling support for Tengah homes

In Tengah, SP Group’s Centralised Cooling System (CCS) taps on centralised rooftop chillers to pipe chilled water to homes instead of using individual condensers. This makes it more energy-efficient compared to conventional air-conditioners.

Moreover, CCS customers can sign up for a free three-year maintenance programme, called MyTengah Care+, which includes twice-yearly fan coil unit (FCU) servicing sessions – with each additional session currently costing just $15 per FCU – as well as regular CCS health checks and warranties on the CCS’ piping, trunking and insulation.

To find out more about the CCS and MyTengah Care+ programme, visit the MyTengah website.