Gas Safe registered
Company reg. no. 552490, all engineers registered
Vaillant Advance Installer
Dan and Dean
F-Gas registered company
FGAS ID FGAS3023734
Checkatrade member
Independently vetted
Constructionline Gold
Accredited supplier
Fully insured
£5m public · £10m employers' liability
What domestic air conditioning servicing involves
Servicing an air conditioning system means cleaning what has become dirty, checking what is under pressure and verifying that the system still delivers the performance it was installed to deliver. That covers the indoor unit's filters and coil, the condensate drain, the outdoor condenser and its coil, the refrigerant circuit and the electrical connections, followed by a run-and-test against actual measured performance rather than a glance at the display.
DM Heating and Cooling is an F-Gas registered company, FGAS ID FGAS3023734, certified for installation, servicing and decommissioning. Work involving refrigerant circuits is regulated, and having that registration is what allows the refrigerant side of a service to be carried out legally and correctly.
This service is for owners of domestic split and multi-split systems, whether or not we installed them. It is particularly worth booking if your system is not cooling as well as it once did, if it is noisier than it used to be, if there is any smell when it runs, if you have noticed water where it should not be, or if it has simply never been serviced since it went in.
The right time is spring, before you need it. Air conditioning is the one system in a house that is only ever tested under the exact conditions in which you cannot do without it. A system serviced in April is a system that works in July.
Professional servicing matters because the things that degrade a system are invisible from the room. A slow refrigerant loss shows up first as slightly worse cooling, then as a system that runs constantly, and finally as a compressor working in conditions it was not designed for. A blocked condensate drain shows up as a stain on a ceiling. Both are cheap to prevent and expensive to ignore.
- Domestic split and multi-split systems
- F-Gas registered company, FGAS ID FGAS3023734
- Servicing and maintenance certified under our F-Gas scheme
- Fully insured: £5m public liability
Why it matters
What an unserviced system does next
First it gets weaker. Clogged filters and a dirty coil restrict airflow, so the unit moves less air across less effective heat exchange surface. The room takes longer to cool, the system runs for longer to achieve less, and the electricity bill rises without anything appearing to be wrong.
Then it gets unhygienic. Filters and coils collect dust, and the wet environment inside an indoor unit is exactly where that becomes a problem. The characteristic musty smell when a neglected unit starts up is the system telling you what is growing inside it, and blowing into the room you sleep in.
Then it leaks. Condensate drains block with the same debris. The water has to go somewhere, and in a wall-mounted indoor unit that means down the wall or through the ceiling below. Plaster and decoration cost far more to repair than a service costs to book.
Finally it fails, and it fails during the hottest week of the year, which is also the week when every engineer is already committed. Refrigerant loss left unaddressed puts real strain on the compressor, which is the single most expensive component in the system.
Common mistakes we're called in to fix
- Treating air conditioning as fit-and-forget because it has no annual certificate like a boiler
- Only rinsing the filters and never having the coils, drain and refrigerant checked
- Booking the first service during a heatwave, when availability is at its worst
- Ignoring reduced cooling as 'it's just very hot outside' when it is a refrigerant loss
- Allowing non-F-Gas-registered work on a refrigerant circuit
Our process
Our air conditioning service process
- 1
Inspection
We check the indoor and outdoor units, their mountings, the condensate route and the electrical connections.
- 2
Diagnosis
Operating performance and the refrigerant circuit are assessed so we can identify loss of efficiency and its cause, not just its symptoms.
- 3
Clean and service
Filters and coils cleaned, condensate drain cleared and the outdoor condenser cleared of debris that restricts airflow.
- 4
Testing and verification
The system is run and checked against the temperatures it should be achieving, with controls tested.
- 5
Report and completion
A plain account of the system's condition, anything that needs attention priced separately, the site left tidy, and our 1-year workmanship guarantee on work carried out.
Recent work
Air Conditioning Servicing jobs we've completed
Real photographs from our own jobs across Maidstone and the surrounding areas, no stock images.
Benefits
What regular servicing gives you
Full cooling when you need it
A clean, correctly charged system reaches its set temperature instead of running all day and never getting there.
Lower electricity use
Restricted airflow and a low charge are the two main reasons a system costs more to run than it should.
Cleaner air in the room
Clean filters and coils remove the dust and moisture that cause the musty smell from neglected units.
No water damage
A cleared condensate drain is the difference between a working system and a stain on the ceiling below.
Longer equipment life
Catching refrigerant loss early protects the compressor, which is the most expensive part of the system.
F-Gas registered work
Refrigerant handled legally and competently under FGAS ID FGAS3023734.
In detail
What servicing covers on each part of the system
Split and multi-split systems have the same components; multi-splits simply have more of them. Here is what each part needs.
Indoor units: filters, coil and fan
Filters are the part owners can maintain between services, and doing so makes a genuine difference. Behind them, the evaporator coil and the fan barrel collect a film of fine dust that cannot be rinsed off from the room and that measurably reduces both airflow and heat transfer. On a multi-split, every indoor unit needs this attention, not just the one in the room you use most.
Condensate drainage
Cooling produces water, and that water leaves the indoor unit through a drain that relies on fall and a clear route. Debris and biological growth block it gradually. Clearing and checking the drain is routine at a service and is the single most effective way to avoid water damage.
Outdoor condenser
Condensers sit outside and collect leaves, seed, cobwebs and garden dust in the coil fins, which restricts the airflow the unit needs to reject heat. Planting that has grown up around a unit since installation causes the same problem. Clearing the coil and confirming adequate clearance around the unit restores performance that owners often assume is lost for good.
Refrigerant circuit
The sealed circuit should not lose refrigerant. When performance drops, a loss somewhere in the circuit is one of the likely explanations, and the correct response is to find and address the cause rather than simply top it up and wait for it to happen again. This work requires F-Gas certification, which we hold as a registered company under FGAS3023734.
Heat pump systems used for heating
Many domestic systems are used for gentle heating in spring and autumn as well as cooling in summer. Systems doing both run more hours per year, which makes regular servicing more worthwhile rather than less. Tell us if you use yours for heating, so it is checked in both modes.
Domestic systems only
We service domestic air conditioning, homes, home offices and domestic outbuildings, including systems we did not install. We do not take on commercial air conditioning work.
Related services
Popular areas we cover
- Air Conditioning Servicing in Maidstone
- Air Conditioning Servicing in Aylesford
- Air Conditioning Servicing in Rochester
- Air Conditioning Servicing in Snodland
- Air Conditioning Servicing in West Malling
- Air Conditioning Servicing in Kings Hill
See all areas we cover, browse every service, go back to the homepage, or contact us.
Where we work
Air Conditioning Servicing across Maidstone and Medway
What customers say
Rated 9.97 out of 10
across 13 Checkatrade reviews
10/10 · New Air Conditioning Installed
"From my first enquiry to completion of works I found them to be very courteous, hard working and competitively priced. Dan carried out a full survey and gave a cost breakdown for works. A date was booked and the guys turned up on time and work was completed within the given timescale. They were very polite and tidy and even vacuumed after completion. I am so happy with my new hot/cold air conditioning unit which will enable me to work comfortably from home and sleep at night. They even sorted my dripping tap free of charge! I would highly recommend DM Heating and Cooling."
10/10 · New Combi Boiler Installation
"I had a new combi boiler installed and had my old one removed. Excellent service and a very productive team. They were helpful with boiler and thermostat advice and quick to reply. I would highly recommend their services."
10/10 · Boiler replacement
"Dean and the team were excellent. Quick response to initial issue, boiler needed replacing. All quotes explained with options. Work carried out quickly and professionally. I found them to be very reliable and trustworthy. Wouldn't hesitate to use again or recommend."
Common questions
Straight answers,
before you call
Still unsure? Call Dan on 07930 686788.
- How much does an air conditioning service cost?
- It depends on whether it is a single split or a multi-split with several indoor units. Call Dan on 07930 686788 or Dean on 07714 082269 for a clear price before booking. There is no call-out fee for an estimate.
- How often should domestic air conditioning be serviced?
- Annually is the sensible rhythm for a domestic system, and more frequently where it runs for heating as well as cooling or where the outdoor unit sits in a dusty or heavily planted position.
- When should I book?
- Spring, before the first hot spell. A system serviced in April is a system that works in July, when engineers are at their busiest.
- Will you service a system you did not install?
- Yes, as long as it is a domestic split or multi-split system. We will tell you honestly what condition we find it in.
- Why is my air conditioning not as cold as it used to be?
- The usual causes are restricted airflow from dirty filters and coils, a blocked or overgrown outdoor unit, or a loss of refrigerant. A service identifies which, and the refrigerant side requires an F-Gas registered company, which we are.
- Why does my unit smell when it starts up?
- That is normally growth on the filters and coil inside the indoor unit, caused by the combination of trapped dust and condensation. Cleaning them properly at a service is what clears it.
- Are you F-Gas registered?
- Yes. DM Heating and Cooling is an F-Gas registered company, FGAS ID FGAS3023734, certified for installation, servicing and decommissioning.
- Is your work guaranteed?
- Yes, a 1-year workmanship guarantee on work we carry out. We also hold £5m public liability and £10m employers' liability insurance.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Maidstone and the surrounding areas, including Rochester, Aylesford, Snodland, West Malling, Kings Hill, Ashford, Canterbury and Gravesend.
Book an air conditioning service before the next heatwave
F-Gas registered under FGAS3023734, fully insured and family-run. Clear pricing, tidy work, and a year's guarantee on our workmanship.