A technician seen from behind on a step, working on an open split AC with a plastic cover beneath it and the furniture sheeted — AI-generated picture. A plastic cover under the unit and sheets over the furniture: the room should look like this before the water starts.

Stories / The service visit / story 10 of 18

What should happen during a service visit

A proper AC service should clean the filters, clean or inspect the coils, check the refrigerant level and electrical connections, and end with a test run, which Daikin says usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.

From The AC in Your Flat. Updated 4 November 2026.

Service is a word that means something different to each person who says it. Agree on what it covers before anyone opens a bag. Daikin's service guide for hot climates gives a useful standard list.

What Daikin lists in a service, and what to ask
Step	What it's for	What you can ask
Filters	Remove dust, improve airflow	Show me before and after
Coils	Remove dirt on evaporator and condenser	Were both done, indoor and outdoor?
Refrigerant	Check levels, protect the compressor	What did you measure?
Electrical	Check wiring and switches are secure	Anything loose or scorched?
Test run	Confirm cooling and airflow	Can I see it running before you go?

How often should a split AC be serviced?

Once a year, just before the cooling season, is Daikin's general recommendation, and twice a year where the unit runs almost non-stop. That page is written for the Middle East and Africa, so read it as a maker's general guide. In Mumbai, book before the April rush. Everyone else has the same idea, so don't leave it until the first hot week.

A wide Pune road with white flats above shops and an auto-rickshaw crossing — Pune, ordinary traffic in the shoulder weeks. A slot before the first hot spell is usually easier.

A narrow tall corner building in Pune with curved balconies — Tell the booking desk your floor, your access and your unit's position up front.

What should worry you during a visit?

Be wary of any technician who adds gas without a reason they can show you. Read the gas top-up story. Be wary of a "free service" that turns into a large parts bill. Ask for the old part back, and ask for the price before work begins. Ask if the service carries any warranty and get that on paper. These are common-sense precautions, not rules from any regulator.

A row of tall society towers at Wagle Estate in Thane beyond a line of parked cars — Wagle Estate, Thane. In a big society, ask your neighbours who has actually come and done the work, and what the bill was.

What to do

Yours to do

Agree the list and the price before work starts.
Clear the bed and cover what you can't move.
Watch the test run, and check the drain with the unit cooling.

Leave to the trained person

Coils, refrigerant and electrical checks, which need their tools and training.

Also asked

How long should a service take?

Daikin says a standard service usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. A much shorter visit may not have covered everything, so ask what was done.

What is the difference between wet and dry service?

These are trade terms, and they aren't defined by any standard we could find. Generally wet means water is used on the coils. Ask what will be washed, and how water will be caught.

Can I do the service myself?

Partly. Daikin says you can clean or replace filters, but professional servicing is needed for refrigerant, electrical checks and a deep clean.

Where this came from

Daikin Middle East and Africa, how often to service: Interval, contents, duration, what you can do yourself

This story rests on those pages, opened or checked by 4 November 2026, and on no tests of our own. Maker pages speak for their makers, and rules and wiring differ by building, so check your own manual.