Fan-Coil (AKA Duct-Type) Air Conditioner Cleaning – HKD 1,000+ per unit (Residential Rate) HKD 1,200+ per unit (Commercial Rate)
Fan-coil units are one of the most efficient cooling systems for homes and businesses on the market today. Fan-coil units can have the capacity to cool multiple rooms in your home or office using just one unit – through splitting the airflow with custom ductwork.
Most commonly found in Restaurants, Bars, Commercial Kitchens, Shopping Malls and larger homes, these are popular units owing to their high output, robustness, energy efficiency, and the fact that they’re unseen apart from the ventilation outlets and the return air vents.
When a fan-coil unit is not regularly cleaned and serviced it becomes prone to dust build up and is a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. As fan-coil units often employ several meters of ductwork, thus they also have a greater capacity for mold and dust to accumulate within the ducts. As the bacteria and mold continues to grow on the coils, filters and drain pan of the air conditioner, the contaminants begin to affect the overall air quality resulting in harmful allergens being circulated throughout the rooms. These allergens are especially harmful to individuals who suffer from asthma, hay fever, sinus problems, respiratory illnesses, eczema and other health issues. A build-up of dirt, dust, grime and mold on the fan, filters and in the coils will also cause a significant increase in power consumption which will obviously result in an increase in your power bill.
At AirCare Solutions, our staff know fan-coil air conditioning units inside-out and know what it takes to thoroughly clean even the hardest to reach components of the unit. We can also clean large sections of the ductwork itself which is often overlooked by other cleaning companies – additional fees may apply. Our deep cleaning process is designed to rid your fan-coil units of all particles, dirt, grime, algae, bacteria and harmful mold that affect your health and your units’ ability to run efficiently.
Please note that professional deep cleaning pricing starts at HKD 1,000 per unit (Residential) and HKD 1,200 per unit (Commercial) – fees may be higher depending upon the location, accessibility, and quality of installation of the unit(s), as well as other environmental factors which may impact the time necessary to clean the unit(s) thoroughly. When booking for Fan-Coil Units to be cleaned, clients are advised that our administration personnel will request that further information is supplied such as photos/videos, model number(s), etc. In order to be able to provide an accurate quotation (to the best of our knowledge) we need to gather as much visual information as possible as it is far too common we find that Fan-Coil Units have been installed so poorly that critical components may be inaccessible for cleaning, maintenance, or repair. For the avoidance of doubt, the rate of HKD 1,000 per unit applies to Fan-Coil Units that have been installed properly where each and every component of the unit is readily accessible for cleaning/repair/maintenance. Specifically, the components that need to be accessible are: Complete blower fan assembly, drainage pan (external component, as well as enclosed component), drainage line, drainage plug of condensate pan, cooling coil, condensate pump (if internally fitted), PCB, model details. Fan-Coil Unit Ductwork Surcharges: No ductwork surcharge will apply for Fan-Coil Units with no ductwork, or with short ductwork of less than 50cm. For every additional 100cm of ductwork, or part thereof, a surcharge of $100 per 100cm will be applied for cleaning of accessible sections of ductwork.
It should also be noted that there are several different configurations/types of FCU, and we frequently find that the FCU configuration/type that has been installed is not the ideal model and/or has been installed in a way that renders the cooling coil and/or drainage pan inaccessible. In many cases it may still be possible to access the cooling coil and/or drainage pan by removing the entire blower fan assembly. Should this methodology be necessary, it requires more than twice the amount of time and labor, and so the minimum fee when this methodology is required is HKD 2,800 per FCU (Residential Rate) and HKD 3,000 per FCU (Commercial Rate)
What does the Fan-Coil Air Conditioner Deep Cleaning consist of?
1. Check and test each Air Conditioner prior to cleaning (We don’t clean air cons that are in need of technical repairs).
2. Place protective coverings wherever may be required; over delicate flooring/furniture/belongings below or in close proximity to the air conditioner unit
3. Take a video clip of the condition of cleanliness of the various components of the AC – this typically includes the coil, the drainage pan(s), and the drainage line (if accessible).
4. Remove and thoroughly clean all return air filters, and all grilles.
5. Physically treat and clean the coils, the drainage pan(s), and pressure rinse with clean water until contaminants are removed from the system. Please note that if complete removal of the drainage pan is required for cleaning, a minimum additional fee of $1,800 per unit will be applied – provided that the drainage pan is readily accessible for easy removal. Fees for complete removal of the drainage pan may be higher if access is particularly hindered, and/or if insulation needs to be removed and new insulation needs to be supplied and fitted. It should be noted that fan coil units are frequently installed in such a way that cleaning of both of the drainage pans (or the entirety of a single drainage pan) is not feasible in which case only partial cleaning of the accessible parts of the drainage pan is possible.** Wherever possible, our personnel will utilize an industrial wet-vac to suction out algae, scum and other contaminants from the drainage pan(s). Again, this is dependent upon the accessibility of the drainage pan(s), drainage hose(s), and drainage plug(s).
6. Check and flush the drainage line (if accessible) to minimize the possibility of future blockages (we recommend that AC’s are deep cleaned bi-annually to ensure that drainage lines don’t accumulate hardened algae – see here and here. We also recommend that Fan-Coil Unit drainage pans are regularly maintained with ‘Pan Treat’ tablets. See here for further information pertaining to Pan Treat tablets for preventative maintenance.
7. Replace return air filters and replace grilles.
8. Dry any excess moisture on or around the air conditioning unit
9. Test unit
10. Clean up any mess from all work completed
11. Follow up by sending clients Before & After clips of the condition of each individual unit and advise a recommended cleaning schedule (some AC’s in your home or office may need to be cleaned more frequently than others – please see here for further information).
* Please note that cleaning of the external Condenser Units is not included in the pricing. Condenser units are often inaccessible, and they do not require the same frequency of cleaning that the indoor units do. Quotations for condenser units are provided upon request only, and the price per unit varies depending upon their accessibility as well as several other factors that must be taken in to account. Furthermore, the pricing noted above does not include complete removal of the fan motor and blower fans. These components require cleaning far less frequently that the other FCU components. Should the fan motor and blower fan assembly need to be removed to provide access to the cooling coil for chemical cleaning, a minimum additional fee of $1,800 per unit will apply as this process requires well in excess of twice the time, as well as requiring additional skilled labor and electrical works.
** Please note that we frequently find that fan-coil units have been installed more so with aesthetics in mind with little regard given to proper access for cleaning & maintenance. Fan-coil units typically have two drainage pans – one directly beneath the cooling coil (which is often accessible, provided that it is not fully enclosed in duct-work), with the main drainage pan being located at the rear of the unit. It is the rear drainage pan that is often difficult or impossible to access properly for deep cleaning. Often it is not possible to establish whether or not the rear drainage pan is readily accessible prior to the appointment – if deep cleaning of the rear drainage pan is an essential requirement, then it is the client’s responsibility to communicate this to AirCare Solutions, and a formal inspection of the installation will be required prior to the appointment to ensure that the quotation can be adjusted corresponding to the additional time and labor required. Formal inspection fee is $1,200 with an additional $400 for each additional unit that needs to be inspected. AirCare Solutions administrative personnel will endeavor to gather sufficient information from the client in order to establish the extent to which a Fan-Coil Unit can be deep cleaned, however, the onus is on the client to provide complete information whether that be via photos, videos, or the clients knowledge of the type(s) of FCU that are installed, and whether or not the FCU(s) booked to be deep cleaned have been properly deep cleaned in the past. For the avoidance of doubt, the full fee that has been quoted for the cleaning of any FCU will be due regardless of how comprehensive that the extent of the deep cleaning can be executed. The primary reasons that the full fee will be due, even in the event that it is found that a FCU cannot be fully cleaned as a result of how it has been installed, is due to the fact that sufficient time and labor have been assigned for the specifics of the appointment, and therefore AirCare Solutions will still need to bear the costs of the time and labor that has been assigned. It is for this reason that AirCare Solutions will endeavor to gather the required information from the client prior to confirmation of the booking, so as to avoid any potential dissatisfaction. Thus it is most certainly in the best interests of the client to either provide complete clarity on how the FCU(s) are installed, or in the absence of being able to provide complete clarity, that the recommended site inspection is carried out so that an accurate quotation can be provided.
5 Signs that your Fan Coil Unit needs a professional clean
- You have a high energy bill. Help reduce your power costs! A clean air conditioner is much more efficient thus it consumes considerably less energy.
- There is weak air flow coming from your unit. If you have turned your unit on and notice that it isn’t very powerful, this could mean that your return air filters are heavily laden with dust, and the coil is laden with mold – all of which will restrict airflow. The less air being circulated through the room, means the longer it takes to cool the room down or heat it, therefore using a great deal more energy.
- The air coming from your unit has an unpleasant smell. If you can smell a musty odor coming from your unit when you turn it on, this means your unit has a build-up of dirt, mold and bacteria which circulates through the room each and every time you turn on your unit.
- Your health is being affected. Clean air can help anyone who suffers from asthma, allergies, hay fever and ongoing sinus problems.
- Your unit isn’t running as efficiently even though the filters are clean. Keeping your filters regularly cleaned assists greatly with the efficiency of the unit and reduces the amount of dirt getting into the air conditioner – however, the filters only represent the first line of defense for your unit. It is inevitable that the internal components of all air conditioning units will get dirty over time.