Aircon questions, answered straight

For a standard residential split unit, budget roughly R9 000–R25 000 for the unit itself and R2 500–R5 000 for a straightforward installation. The unit price moves with capacity, brand and whether it's an inverter. The installation price moves with pipe-run length, how the pipework has to be routed, and whether the outdoor unit needs brackets, a slab or a stand. Our on-site assessment and quote are free, and the quoted number is the number you pay.

Yes for breakdowns — a technician's time and vehicle cost money whether the fault turns out to be a R400 capacitor or a dead compressor. The fee is quoted before we dispatch, never discovered afterwards, and it covers the diagnosis. For installation and replacement enquiries, the on-site assessment is free.

Then that's the end of it. You've paid the callout for the diagnosis, if one applied, and you owe nothing further. We don't chase, we don't pressure, and we won't tell you the sky is falling.

Sometimes, but we won't pretend a lower number is always the better one. If a rival quote is substantially cheaper, it's worth asking whether they're SAQCC registered, whether the unit is correctly sized for the room, and what happens if the installation fails in a year. Send us the quote and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a good one.

Roughly 600–650 BTU per square metre for a typical insulated room, adjusted upward for west-facing windows, high ceilings, or a room full of people or equipment. As a rough guide: a 15–18m² bedroom usually wants 9 000 BTU, a 25m² room 12 000 BTU, and a 35m² open-plan lounge 18 000 BTU. We measure before we recommend — this is the single most consequential decision in the whole job.

No, and this is the most expensive myth in the trade. An oversized unit cools the air quickly, hits the set temperature, and switches off before it has removed any humidity. The room ends up cold and clammy, the compressor short-cycles, and the unit dies years early. Correct is better than big.

An inverter varies its compressor speed rather than switching fully on and off, so it uses noticeably less electricity, holds the temperature more evenly, and runs quieter. It costs more upfront and pays that back over a few seasons. For a room you use daily, buy the inverter. For a guest room used twice a year, a non-inverter is defensible.

Samsung, LG, Alliance, Hisense, Midea, Daikin, Carrier, Gree and most others. If it hangs on a wall in South Africa, we've almost certainly worked on it. We'll also tell you honestly which brands we see fail most often.

Four usual suspects: low refrigerant caused by a leak, a failed capacitor, a filthy filter or coil, and a dying compressor. The first three are routine repairs. The fourth is usually the end of the road for an older unit. We'll tell you which one you're facing before you spend anything on it.

Almost always a blocked condensate drain line. Dust and algae build up inside it, the water can't run outside, and it backs up into the room. It's a quick clean and one of the cheapest calls we do — but ignore it and it will damage your ceiling.

A musty smell is biological growth on a damp evaporator coil, usually because the unit hasn't been serviced. A burning smell is electrical and you should switch the unit off at the isolator and phone us. Don't run an aircon that smells like it's burning.

Usually a short in the compressor windings, a failing capacitor, or a genuine earth leakage fault. It's not something to reset repeatedly and hope about — repeated tripping is the unit telling you something is electrically wrong.

Ice on the pipework or coil generally means low refrigerant (from a leak) or restricted airflow across the coil. Either way, running it in that state stresses the compressor. Switch it off and book a technician.

Every 12 months for a home. Every 6 months for offices, restaurants, salons, and anywhere with heavy dust or long running hours. Skipping services is the single most common reason units fail years before they should.

Coil cleaning, filter cleaning or replacement, refrigerant pressure check, condensate drain flush, electrical checks on the capacitor and contactor, a check on bracket and pipework condition, and a written condition report so you know what's aging.

Yes, and you should — rinsing the indoor filters every month or two genuinely helps. But it isn't a service. The evaporator coil behind the filter, the drain line, the gas pressure and the electricals all need equipment and registration you don't have at home.

A clogged coil forces the unit to run longer to reach the same temperature, and a longer run time is a bigger bill. Cleaning it doesn't make the aircon more efficient than new — it restores it to what you already paid for.

Legally, yes — anyone handling refrigerant gas in South Africa must be SAQCC Gas registered. Practically it matters even more: an unregistered installation can void your manufacturer's warranty entirely. Ask any company for their registration. Ask us for ours.

Our work. If an installation or repair we carried out fails because of how we did it — a leaking flare, a bracket that worked loose, a drain that wasn't set to fall correctly — we come back and fix it at our cost. It's issued in writing on your job card.

Component failure inside the unit itself is the manufacturer's warranty, not ours, and we'll help you claim it. Damage from power surges, physical damage, and faults caused by another contractor's work afterwards aren't ours either. We'll always tell you which of these you're looking at.

Yes — public liability and vehicle cover. We can produce the documentation on request, and it's a fair thing to ask of anyone working in your home.

For breakdowns across Johannesburg, Sandton, Randburg, Roodepoort and Midrand: same-day in most cases, next-day at worst during the December–February peak. Installations are usually booked within 3–5 working days.

Johannesburg and the wider Gauteng — including Sandton, Randburg, Roodepoort, Midrand, Fourways, Bryanston, Northcliff, Greenside and the surrounding suburbs. If you're not sure whether we reach you, phone and ask; we'll give you a straight yes or no.

Saturday mornings as standard, and after-hours or weekend work by arrangement for commercial clients who can't afford to lose a trading day.

Often, yes. Send a photo of the indoor and outdoor units on WhatsApp, along with the model number and a description of what it's doing. It won't replace an on-site diagnosis but it frequently tells us which part to bring.