# Aircon servicing due in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call Source: https://honestfix.cf-migrate-pulse-web.workers.dev/guides/aircon-servicing-due · checked 15 Sep 2026 the Honestfix team · checked 15 Sep 2026 [Aircon servicing](/aircon-servicing) is due when cooling weakens, the unit drips or smells musty, or it simply has not been serviced in a while — most of that traces to a dirty filter and coil, not the refrigerant. NEA requires household R32 aircon service personnel to complete ITE training under SCDF's requirements before handling the refrigerant. ## What to check first Pull out the indoor unit's filter and hold it up to the light. If you can't see through it, that alone can explain weaker cooling and a noisier unit — rinse it under a tap, let it dry fully, and refit it before doing anything else. Look at where the condensate drain exits the wall or the window ledge. A slow drip or standing water near the indoor unit is very often this pipe, not a refrigerant problem, and a clear drain line is something you can check without a ladder in most flats. Note how long it has been since the last service, and whether the smell, drip or noise is new or has been building for weeks. That timeline is the first thing a technician will ask. ## The likely causes, in order **A dirty filter (most common).** Reduced cooling with the unit otherwise running normally is most often a dirty filter blocking airflow. Rinse the filter under a tap and let it dry fully before refitting it — this is the one check every homeowner can do without opening the unit. **A clogged condensate drain.** Water dripping from the indoor unit is usually a clogged condensate drain pipe or a full drain tray, not a refrigerant leak. Check that the drain line isn't kinked or blocked where it exits the wall before booking a service. **A coil that needs a chemical wash.** A musty smell or a build-up of noise points to the indoor coil needing a chemical wash rather than a general service, since a general service does not strip and clean the coil the way a chemical wash does. See our separate guide on chemical wash versus general service for what each actually includes. ## When to call, and who Stop and call a provider rather than opening the unit yourself if you smell burning, see ice on the coil, or the outdoor unit is making a grinding noise — the R32 refrigerant used in most household systems needs ITE-trained personnel to handle. Anything involving the refrigerant circuit itself, rather than the filter or drain, is a call, not a DIY job. Book a routine general service on a schedule rather than waiting for a symptom — filters and coils get dirty gradually, and catching it early is cheaper than waiting for the musty smell or the drip. ## What it costs Two published jobs for the same trade exist instead: [chemical wash](/guides/glossary-chemical-wash) and chemical overhaul. If your unit needs more than a filter clean, ask the provider which of those two categories your job actually falls under before agreeing a price. When you ask for a quote, specify the number of indoor units, whether it's a general service or a chemical wash, and whether the outdoor unit is easily accessible — all three move the price, and a quote given without them is not comparable across providers. ## Who to call, and how to judge them NEA states manufacturers "are required to ensure that service personnel have completed training courses conducted by ITE" to comply with SCDF's requirements on handling R32 air-conditioning systems, and names the Certificate of Competency in Residential Air-Conditioning System (Refrigerant) course as the relevant qualification. An ACRA registration confirms the business exists, nothing more. If the job involves topping up or recovering refrigerant, ask whether the technician doing the work holds that ITE certificate. MEPS for single-split air-conditioners was raised to 4-tick and multi-split to 5-tick on 1 April 2025, up from a 2-tick baseline set in 2016 — an older, low-tick unit will run harder for the same cooling, which a service cannot change. If servicing doesn't restore the cooling you expect, the unit's age and tick rating, not the technician, may be the reason. ## Frequently asked questions **Why has my aircon's cooling gotten weaker?** Reduced cooling with the unit otherwise running normally is most often a dirty filter blocking airflow. Rinse the filter under a tap and let it dry fully before refitting it — this is the one check every homeowner can do without opening the unit. **Why is water dripping from my aircon?** Water dripping from the indoor unit is usually a clogged condensate drain pipe or a full drain tray, not a refrigerant leak. Check that the drain line isn't kinked or blocked where it exits the wall before booking a service. **How much does aircon servicing cost in Singapore?** It depends on the type of service (general service, chemical wash or overhaul), how many units you have and the provider. Ask each provider for a total across all your units and what the visit includes before you book. ## Sources - [NEA, "Reducing GHG Emissions from the Use of Refrigerants in the RAC Sector"](https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy-efficiency/climate-change/reducing-ghg-emissions-from-the-use-of-refrigerants-in-rac-sector) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) - [NEA, "About Mandatory Energy Labelling and MEPS"](https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency/household-sector/about-mandatory-energy-labelling-and-minimum-energy-performance-standards) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) - [HDB, "Air Conditioners" home care guide](https://www.hdb.gov.sg/managing-my-home/renovation-and-maintenance/home-maintenance/home-care-guide/air-conditioners) (fetched 15 Sep 2026) [Compare aircon servicing providers](/aircon-servicing) and give each the same facts: how many indoor units, when it was last serviced, and what you've already noticed. ## Related - [Aircon Servicing in Singapore — compare providers](/aircon-servicing) — Aircon servicing - [Why your aircon is not cold: five causes](/guides/aircon-not-cold-five-causes) — Guide: From a wrong remote setting to a failed compressor, in the order worth checking them. - [General aircon service or chemical wash: compare the actual work](/guides/chemical-wash-vs-general-service) — Guide: What a general service and a chemical wash actually are, and what decides the price. - [Urban Company aircon servicing: read the package before booking](/guides/platform-urban-company-aircon-servicing-review) — Guide: What Urban Company's aircon servicing includes and charges in Singapore, against Luce, Gain City and a direct provider, checked 14 Sep 2026. - [Aircon compressor faulty in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call](/guides/aircon-compressor-faulty) — Guide: A silent outdoor unit while the indoor fan still blows usually means the compressor. - [Aircon gas leak in Singapore: what to check first, what it costs, who to call](/guides/aircon-gas-leak) — Guide: Cooling that fades over weeks, not a sudden stop, usually means a gas leak.