Every hot summer, air conditioning becomes a life-saving straw for residents in the greater Taipei area. However, after a long period of non-use in autumn and winter, many people will encounter the following situation when turning on the air conditioner for the first time: the air conditioner emits a musty smell, or the room temperature remains high after running for a long time. At this time, many people's instinctive reaction is "the air conditioner is not cold anymore, it is time to find a water and electricity or air conditioning shop to fill the refrigerant." But you know what? This is actually one of the biggest "talking skills" and "IQ taxes" in the air-conditioning maintenance industry! In fact, more than 90% of air conditioners are not cold and it has nothing to do with the refrigerant. If you blindly fill the refrigerant without testing, it will not only waste money, but may also damage the compressor. This article will break down for you the real reasons why the air conditioner is not cold, the scientific principles of air conditioner cleaning, and the reasonable maintenance market in Taipei.
The biggest myth solved: Is refrigerant a disposable consumable?
Many people regard refrigerant as gasoline, thinking that it will "burn out" or "consume" after being used for a long time.
The refrigerant operation system of the air conditioner is a completely closed copper tube circulation loop. The refrigerant undergoes a physical phase change between gas and liquid inside the system, thereby absorbing indoor heat and discharging it to the outdoors. Under normal circumstances, as long as the copper pipe system is not damaged, cracked, or the joints are loose, the refrigerant "will never be consumed and does not need to be added." If the air conditioner is really not cool due to "refrigerant leakage", the correct approach is to first find the "leak point" and repair or replace the copper pipe, then vacuum and then "quantitatively fill" instead of simply "filling in refrigerant". If the technician comes to your home and doesn't even pick up the pressure gauge, he just says that he will charge for refrigerant filling. This is usually a trick to deceive consumers.
The four real culprits of the air conditioner not being cold
If it is not a lack of refrigerant, then why is the air conditioner not cold? It is usually caused by the following four reasons:
1. The filter and radiator (evaporator) are too dusty: This is the most common. When dust clogs the filter screen and evaporator aluminum fins of the indoor unit, air cannot pass smoothly, the heat exchange efficiency drops significantly, the air volume blown out will become smaller, and the air conditioner will naturally not be cold. This is also the source of musty smell from air conditioners and triggers allergies.
2. The air drum (wind wheel) of the indoor unit is full of dirt: The roller drum inside the detached indoor unit can easily accumulate lint and black mold. When the air drum is filled with dirt, its rotation efficiency and air output will be greatly reduced, and it may even cause freezing and dripping inside the air conditioner.
3. The cooling fins of the outdoor unit are too dirty: The outdoor unit is installed on the balcony or exterior wall and absorbs waste gas and sand dust in the air for many years. If the heat dissipation aluminum fins are covered with dirt and the heat cannot be dissipated, the compressor will activate the safety protection mechanism due to overheating and automatically shut down, causing only cold air to be blown out.
4. Aging failure of electrical parts: For example, the starting capacitor is burned out, the temperature sensor rod is faulty, or the motherboard is damaged by moisture. This requires professional maintenance and replacement parts.
Principles and Maintenance Effects of Air Conditioner Cleaning
For air conditioners that are not cold or smelly due to dust accumulation and mold, the most effective and fundamental solution is to make an appointment for "professional air conditioner cleaning". The cleaning process includes:
1. : Before construction, turn on the machine to test the temperature and current of the air outlet to confirm that there are no other hardware failures in the air conditioner.
2. : Use a special cleaning protective cover (water bag) to cover the indoor unit, and cover the surrounding furniture and walls with plastic sheeting.
3. : Remove the casing, filter, water tray (some models) and air guide plate.
4. : Spray environmentally friendly, non-toxic neutral aluminum cleaner to break down stubborn mildew and grease on the radiator and air drum, then rinse thoroughly with a high-pressure water gun.
5. : Some manufacturers will provide high-temperature steam sterilization with chlorine dioxide, spray anti-mildew coating, and finally put it back into the casing to test and air dry it.
A reasonable budget for air-conditioning cleaning and maintenance in Taipei area
The air-conditioning cleaning market in Taipei and New Taipei is usually calculated on a "unit" basis, and the cost is roughly as follows:
* About NT$ 1,200 to NT$ 2,000 / unit.
* About NT$ 1,800 to NT$ 3,000 / unit (usually includes air outlet temperature detection, water tray and wind wheel removal and cleaning).
* About NT$ 300 to NT$ 1,000 / unit (Cleaning the radiator of the outdoor unit will help reduce electricity consumption and save electricity bills).
* Due to the limited construction space and high difficulty, the cost is approximately NT$ 3,500 to NT$ 6,000 / unit.
【Pit Avoidance Reminder】
1. : After cleaning, some old air conditioners may be damaged by water ingress, causing damage to the electronic substrate. Qualified cleaning companies usually provide a "7 to 14 days warranty after cleaning", and if there is any dripping or malfunction, they will be repaired free of charge.
2. : May to August is the peak cleaning season. Not only is it difficult to schedule an appointment, but the price may also be higher. It is recommended to make a reservation in March, April or autumn every year, as there are often early bird discounts.
New knowledge on air-conditioning power consumption and Taiwan climate maintenance regulations in recent years (2025-2026 current situation)
With the high temperatures in summer breaking historical records and the adjustment of electricity price structure in recent years, the latest statistics from the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs show that air-conditioning equipment accounts for more than 47% of residential electricity consumption in summer. Many people mistakenly believe that if the air conditioner is not cold, they only need to "replenish the refrigerant." However, in fact, refrigerant is not naturally consumed during normal operation in a closed circuit. If the refrigerant is insufficient, it means that there are micro leaks in the copper pipes or joints. Simply replenishing the air conditioner will only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. Refrigerant leakage will aggravate the high temperature overload of the compressor and shorten its service life.
According to Taiwan's standard operating specifications for air-conditioning projects, it is recommended that professional technicians with a refrigeration and air-conditioning decoration technician license perform "full machine high-pressure water washing and evaporator deep sterilization" every 1 to 2 years for detached air-conditioning indoor units. Especially in the humid summer in the Shuangbei Basin, the air drum and water collection tray are easy to breed black mold and jelly-like biofilm. This is also the main reason for the sour smell in the air-conditioning outlet and the backflow of the drainage pipe. Regular maintenance can maintain CSPF (Air Conditioning Seasonal Performance Factor) level one energy efficiency level, which can save an average household 15% to 20% of air conditioning electricity bills every year.
Autonomous simple maintenance vs professional maintenance safety red line
- Homeowners can do by themselves: Remove and clean the nylon filter regularly every 2 to 3 weeks (rinse with clean water and dry in a cool place, do not expose it to the sun to avoid deformation and embrittlement); clean the air outlet blades of the indoor unit with a dry cloth; check whether there is any accumulation of debris within 50 cm around the outdoor unit that hinders heat dissipation.
- Professional technicians must be entrusted according to regulations: Refrigerant pressure testing and leakage repair welding, high-pressure cleaning of indoor unit air drums and aluminum fins with liquid chemicals, reset of the drainage slope of hidden cold water pipes in the ceiling, and 220V dedicated power circuit configuration and leakage circuit breaker replacement.
