Summer hasn’t arrived yet, is the air conditioner not cold anymore? It may be time for you to clean it
Taiwan’s summer starts to take off in April, but many people only find out that their air conditioners are not cold until May, and they rush to find the air conditioner at this time. As a result, they are either unable to arrange the air conditioner or are charged a high price. According to data from the Energy Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, if the air-conditioning filter is not cleaned for more than a month, electricity consumption will increase by 15-20%, and the electricity bill may cost thousands more over the whole summer.
So the point is not to "fix the air conditioner when it breaks", but to regular maintenance is the most economical way.
2025 Taipei and New Taipei air-conditioning service fee list
First make the price transparent so that you will not be cheated:
| Service items | Cost range | Recommended frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Window air-conditioning cleaning | $800 – $1,200 | Once a quarter |
| Separate air-conditioning cleaning | $1,500 – $2,500 | Once a quarter |
| Separate air-conditioning installation (including basic piping) | $3,500 – $6,000 | When necessary |
| Air conditioning fluoride (refrigerant) | $1,500 – $3,000 | Check when it is not cold |
| Air conditioner relocation (disassembly, assembly and moving location) | $2,500 – $5,000 | Needed when moving |
The above is the reasonable market price in Taipei and New Taipei in 2025. If someone offers you $500 to clean a split air conditioner, they basically come to your house, flush it and leave. They don’t even disassemble and clean the evaporator, which means it hasn’t been cleaned.
What should Wanhua, Zhonghe and Yonghe districts pay special attention to?
Wanhua District: There are many old apartments, and the air-conditioning pipelines are usually older. Pay special attention to the length of the pipelines during installation. Additional charges will apply if the length exceeds the basic length. Please measure the distance before making an appointment.
Zhonghe and Yonghe District: The density of buildings is high, and many buildings have specified construction times (usually 9:00-17:00 from Monday to Friday). When choosing a master, make sure that the master can cooperate with your time.
The correct time to book air-conditioning service before summer
According to industry experience, March to April is the golden period for air-conditioning cleaning, at this time the master is not too busy to schedule, and the price is easier to negotiate. After May, especially during the first few days of high temperatures, prices may rise by 20-30%, and that will take several days.
When looking for air-conditioning maintenance in Taipei or New Taipei, it is recommended to choose a professional manufacturer with transparent quotations, open warranty and evaluation, and confirm whether high-pressure water washing and evaporator deep cleaning are included before construction. Especially if you have more than two air conditioners at home, arrange a maintenance as early as possible so that you don’t have to rush around in summer.
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.
