Service · Deep clean · Repair
Open Lane services domestic air-conditioning the unglamorous way — coils stripped and washed, drainage proven, pressures logged, and a written note of what we found.
Start here
Most calls start with a noise, a smell or a puddle. Here is what those usually mean and what a visit would actually involve — so you know roughly what you are booking before you book it.
01
A clogged filter or fouled evaporator coil choking airflow, or refrigerant that has crept below its working charge.
Measure the split between supply and return air, inspect the coil, then either deep clean it or pressure-test for a leak before touching the charge.
02
Biofilm across the coil fins and the blower wheel, usually with a condensate tray that never fully dries out.
Strip the casing, bag the unit and wash the coil and blower wheel properly. Surface wiping only moves the smell along a few weeks.
03
A blocked condensate drain, a tray sitting out of level, or a pump that has stopped lifting.
Clear and flush the drain line, check the fall, test the pump under load, then run the system long enough to prove the water is going where it should.
04
Loose casing clips, a fan blade out of balance, or an outdoor unit whose mounts have worked loose over a few seasons.
Trace the noise while the system runs, tighten or re-mount what is moving, and balance or replace the fan if the vibration is coming from the blade itself.
05
Restricted airflow or low refrigerant pressure dropping the coil below freezing, so moisture sets on the line instead of draining.
Defrost fully, then find the restriction — filter, coil, fan speed or charge. Re-gassing an iced system without finding the cause simply repeats it.
06
A protection cut-out doing its job: high head pressure from a dirty outdoor coil, a failing capacitor, or a sensor reading out of range.
Read the fault code, check running current and capacitor health, and clean the outdoor coil before assuming the board or compressor is at fault.
Not sure which of these it is? Describe it in your own words on the booking form — a rough description is enough for us to bring the right parts.
What we service
The work changes with the hardware. Each lane below lists what a standard service covers so you can match it to what is actually on your wall or in your ceiling.
Lane 01
The common single indoor head paired with one outdoor condenser. Our most-booked visit.
Lane 02
Two or more indoor heads sharing a single outdoor unit, often across different rooms.
Lane 03
Ceiling or roof-space units feeding several rooms through duct runs and outlets.
Lane 04
Self-contained units in flats, studios and rented rooms where fixed systems are not an option.
Inside a full service
This is the standing order of work. If something can't be done — no isolator, no roof access, a unit already failed — we tell you on the day rather than ticking it off.
01
Supply and return air temperatures, running current and fault history are recorded before anything is cleaned, so there is a genuine before and after.
02
Power isolated at the unit, floors and furniture covered, and a wash bag fitted to the indoor head so nothing lands in the room.
03
Filters washed and fully dried before refitting. Casing and louvres cleaned by hand, including the parts that only show when the vane opens.
04
The evaporator fins and the blower wheel are washed through. This is where the smell lives, and it is the step most often skipped elsewhere.
05
Tray cleared, drain line flushed and the fall checked. Where a pump is fitted, it is run under load until we can see water leaving.
06
Condenser coil rinsed, fan blade and mounts checked, and the base cleared of leaf litter so the unit can shed heat properly.
07
Terminals checked for heat marks, capacitor health tested, and the remote or wall controller run through its modes with you.
08
A full cooling cycle under load, final readings logged against the baseline, and a written note of anything worth watching before next season.
How often
An annual service suits most homes, but run hours matter more than the calendar. Find the pattern closest to yours.
Pattern A
Once a year
Used through the warm months and mostly idle otherwise. Book in early autumn or before the first hot week — a unit that has sat unused all winter needs the coil and drain checked before it runs hard.
Pattern B
Every six months
Running most days, often for heating too. Filters load up far faster and the drain rarely gets a dry spell, so a half-yearly clean keeps airflow and noise where they should be.
Pattern C
Between tenancies
Occupants change and nobody owns the maintenance. Servicing at changeover gives you a clean starting point and a dated record of condition for the next agreement.
Pets, nearby building work, coastal air or a smoker in the house all shorten these intervals. If you are not sure, mention it on the form and we will suggest a realistic cycle rather than sell you a plan.
Questions
The things people actually ask us on the doorstep, answered properly.
Around 90 minutes for a single wall split. Add roughly 45 minutes per additional indoor head, and allow half a day for a ducted system where roof-space access is involved. If we find something that needs more time, we will tell you before we start rather than halfway through.
Yes, for the whole visit. We need power isolation at the board, access to both the indoor and outdoor units, and someone to confirm the handover at the end. For let properties, an agent or tenant can cover this if they can reach the isolator.
Usually not. A sealed system does not consume refrigerant, so if the charge is low there is a leak somewhere. We pressure-test and find it first. Topping up a leaking system is a short-term fix that costs you the same money again next season.
The service described on this page includes a coil and blower wheel wash as standard — that is the deep clean. Where a unit is heavily fouled, badly corroded or has visible mould through the housing, we may quote separately for a full strip-down on a second visit.
Very little. Floors and furniture are covered and a wash bag catches the runoff from the indoor unit. The outdoor rinse happens outside. We leave the area as we found it, minus the dust that was in the unit.
Often yes, and we will say so plainly if it is not. If a unit needs a compressor or a control board and replacement parts are no longer sensible to source, we will tell you that instead of taking the booking. You will get our reasoning, not a sales pitch.
Most noise complaints come down to loose mounts, a fan blade out of balance, or a condenser sitting hard against a wall with nowhere to shed heat. All three are addressed during a standard service. If the noise is coming from the compressor itself, we will diagnose it and explain the options.
Reply to the confirmation message and we will move you to the next open window. There is no charge for rescheduling, though a same-day change may push you into the following week during the busy season.
Book a visit
One short form. We reply with a suggested window and a realistic estimate of how long the work will take.
