General Air Conditioning Service vs a Full HydroClean Deep Clean – What’s the Difference?
Air conditioning systems work hard, particularly here on the Costa Blanca where they may be used for many hours every day throughout the summer.
Most people understand that their air conditioning should be serviced regularly. However, there is an important difference between a standard air conditioning service and a full HydroClean deep clean.
A general service is designed primarily to inspect, maintain and check the operation of the system.
A HydroClean service goes considerably further. It is designed to deep clean the internal components of the indoor unit, removing the build-up of dust, dirt and organic contamination that an ordinary service cannot fully reach.
What Happens During a General Air Conditioning Service?
A standard air conditioning service is essentially preventative maintenance.
The engineer checks that the system is operating correctly and looks for potential problems before they develop into expensive breakdowns.
Depending on the type and condition of the system, a general service would normally include:
- Cleaning the air filters
- Checking the indoor unit
- Checking the evaporator coil
- Inspecting the outdoor condenser
- Checking the condensate drainage system
- Checking electrical connections and components
- Checking operating temperatures
- Checking the general performance of the system
- Inspecting for unusual noises or vibrations
- Checking for visible signs of refrigerant or water leaks
- Cleaning accessible areas of the unit
Regular servicing is extremely important and should form part of the routine maintenance of any air conditioning system.
However, there are limitations to what can be cleaned during a conventional service.
The Problem Inside an Air Conditioning Unit
When your air conditioner is running, large quantities of room air are continuously drawn through the indoor unit.
That air contains microscopic particles including dust, fibres, pollen, pet hair and other airborne debris.
The filters capture a significant amount of this material, but they cannot capture everything.
Over time, contamination can accumulate deeper inside the air conditioning unit, particularly around the evaporator coil, condensate tray and blower wheel.
There is another factor involved: moisture.
When your air conditioner is cooling, condensation naturally forms on the cold evaporator coil. This means parts of the inside of the air conditioner regularly operate in a dark, damp environment.
Over time, dirt can combine with this moisture and create unpleasant deposits inside the machine.
This is why an air conditioner can appear perfectly clean from the outside — and even have clean filters — while being considerably dirtier internally.
What Is a HydroClean Service?
A HydroClean is a much more intensive cleaning process.
Rather than simply cleaning the filters and accessible surfaces, the indoor unit is prepared for a professional deep clean using specialist HydroClean equipment.
The surrounding area is protected and a specialist cleaning cover is fitted around the air conditioner. This allows the internal components to be thoroughly cleaned while the contaminated cleaning water is safely collected.
The process allows us to reach areas that cannot be properly cleaned during a normal routine service.
Particular attention can be given to the evaporator coil, drainage area, internal surfaces and — importantly — the blower wheel.
Why Is the Blower Wheel So Important?
The blower wheel is responsible for moving conditioned air out of the indoor unit and back into your room.
It is also one of the areas where significant dirt can accumulate.
Because the blower contains numerous small blades, dust and contamination can gradually coat these surfaces.
This can cause several problems.
Firstly, the air passing through the machine is travelling directly across these surfaces before entering the room.
Secondly, heavy contamination can restrict the blower’s ability to move air efficiently.
You may begin to notice symptoms such as:
- Reduced airflow
- Unpleasant or musty smells
- The room taking longer to cool
- Dirt or black particles appearing around the air outlet
- The unit sounding different from when it was new
- Poorer overall performance
A standard filter clean does not necessarily remove contamination that has accumulated on the blower wheel itself.
A HydroClean is designed to tackle this much deeper level of contamination.
The Difference Can Be Seen in the Waste Water
One of the most surprising parts of a HydroClean for many customers is seeing the water removed from a machine that appeared relatively clean beforehand.
During the cleaning process, the water carries away the dirt and contamination that has built up internally.
It is not unusual for the resulting water to be dark grey, brown or almost black on heavily contaminated machines.
This gives customers a very clear indication of what had accumulated inside their air conditioner.
Can a Dirty Air Conditioner Affect Efficiency?
It certainly can.
An air conditioning system relies on two things happening efficiently:
Heat transfer and airflow.
The evaporator coil needs air to pass freely across it, while the blower needs to move that air efficiently around the room.
If the coil and blower become heavily contaminated, airflow and heat transfer can be reduced.
The machine may then need to operate for longer to achieve the required room temperature.
Deep cleaning cannot fix mechanical faults or magically transform an inefficient old air conditioner into a new one. However, restoring cleanliness and airflow to a contaminated system can help it operate closer to the performance it was designed to deliver.
What About Air Quality?
This is another major reason customers choose a HydroClean.
The air produced by an air conditioner does not simply appear at the front of the machine.
Room air is drawn into the unit, passes through the filters and across internal components before being circulated back into the room.
If those internal surfaces are heavily contaminated, cleaning only the filters addresses just one part of the system.
A HydroClean removes accumulated material from much deeper inside the indoor unit.
This can be particularly beneficial for machines that have developed the familiar damp or musty smell when they are first switched on.
Contact Us
To find out more about Hydrocleaning, Air Conditioning Inverter Systems or any of our other services, please contact us:
CB QUALITY AIR SOLUTIONS
Email : cbqualityairsolutions@gmail.com
Website : https://www.cbqualityairsolutions.com/
Tel : +34 634 389 350 / +34 633 320 418
