04 Repairs

What’s wrong with your air con?

Tell us what you’re noticing and we’ll tell you what it might be, what you can check before you call and what a call-out costs. Three steps, no sign-up.

Can waitCheck it yourself first
This weekWon’t fix itself
Switch it off nowElectrics or a burning smell

At the end we’ll tell you which of the three you’re in.

The assistant needs JavaScript. Below is the same full guide, fault by fault.

04.1 Fault guide

What it might be, depending on what you notice

Not cooling or not heating

Is air coming out of the indoor unit?

Yes, but it’s lukewarm
No, no air comes out
Yes, but it doesn’t reach the temperature I set

Does the outdoor unit start up?

See whether the outdoor unit’s fan is turning.

Yes, the fan is turning
No, it’s not moving
Not sure, or I can’t see it

Best we look at it this week

If no air comes out

The unit isn’t getting the command: the mode, the timer or the remote’s batteries.
Filters so dirty they barely let any air through.
A fault in the indoor fan motor or the control board.

Best we look at it this week

If it’s lukewarm and the outdoor unit isn’t running

The outdoor unit won’t start: usually the start capacitor or a protection device that’s tripped.
A power supply fault or a fault in the outdoor unit’s board.

Best we look at it this week

If it’s lukewarm and the outdoor unit is running

It’s low on refrigerant because of a leak: that’s why it cools a bit less every summer.
Very dirty filters or coil.
A compressor fault, which is the least common.

Best we look at it this week

If it’s lukewarm and you don’t know whether the outdoor unit is running

It could be low on refrigerant or the outdoor unit isn’t starting. To know for sure, the pressures need measuring.
Very dirty filters or coil.

Can wait a few days

If air comes out but doesn’t reach the temperature

The unit is too small for the room: it happens in top-floor flats and sunny living rooms.
Dirty filters or low refrigerant.
On cold, damp days the outdoor unit defrosts itself every so often: a few minutes without warm air is normal.

What you can check yourself

That the remote is on the right mode: the snowflake in summer and the sun in winter. Not fan, not dry.
That the temperature on the remote is below the room temperature in summer, or above it in winter.
The filters: they come out when you lift the cover, get washed in lukewarm water and dried in the shade.
That nothing is covering the outdoor unit: awnings, boxes, plants or washing on the line.

If you see ice on the pipes or the unit, switch it off and leave it on fan for a couple of hours before we come.

Dripping water

Where is it dripping?

Inside: water is coming from the wall unit
Outside: from the outdoor unit or the pipe

When does it happen?

Whenever it’s running
After a while, or only on some days
I can also see ice on the unit or the pipes

Almost certainly normal

If it drips outside

In cooling mode the air leaves water behind and it runs out through the drain pipe; in heating mode the outdoor unit sheds water as it defrosts. It only needs sorting if it drips where it’s a nuisance: onto a neighbour, the pavement or a balcony below.

Best we look at it this week

If it drips inside whenever it runs

The drain is blocked: dust and mould build up in the tray and the pipe.
The pipe has lost its fall or been squashed.
If the unit has a condensate pump, the pump may have failed.

Best we look at it this week

If it drips inside after a while

Drain partly blocked: it copes until the tray fills up.
Very humid days: more water than the pipe can take.

Best we look at it this week

If it drips inside and there’s ice

Very dirty filters: the coil freezes and, as it thaws, the water overflows.
Low on refrigerant: with too little charge the coil gets too cold and ices up.

What you can check yourself

Put a towel or a bucket underneath in the meantime.
Check the end of the drain pipe outside: that it isn’t squashed, blocked or sitting in water.
Clean the filters.
If there’s ice, put it on fan for a couple of hours so it melts.

If water is dripping near a socket, an extension lead or an electrical appliance, switch the air con off at its breaker in the fuse box.

Making a noise

Where is the noise coming from?

The indoor unit
The outdoor unit

What does it sound like?

Vibrating or knocking
Squealing or whistling
Creaks when it switches on or off
Gurgling or sounds like water

Almost certainly normal

If it creaks when switching on or off

The plastic expands and contracts as the temperature changes. Nothing needs doing.

Almost certainly normal

If it gurgles or sounds like water

It’s usually the refrigerant flowing through the pipes or air in the drain. If it gets worse or is very loud, let us have a look: sometimes it’s a drain that isn’t clearing properly.

Can wait a few days

If the outdoor unit vibrates

Loose brackets or bolts: over the years the unit starts to rock.
The rubber mounts that separate it from the wall are worn.
Something is touching the fan: a leaf, a bag, a branch.

Can wait a few days

If the indoor unit vibrates

The casing or a grille isn’t seated properly.
The indoor fan is dirty and out of balance.

Best we look at it this week

If it squeals or whistles

A small refrigerant leak can whistle.
Very dirty filters: the air whistles as it goes through.
A valve or the compressor starting to fail.

What you can check yourself

With the unit off, check nothing is touching the outdoor fan.
Press on the indoor casing and grilles with your hand: if the noise changes, something’s loose.
Clean the filters.

If the noise comes with a burning smell or the unit switches itself off, turn it off and unplug it.

Bad smell

What does it smell of?

Damp or musty
Burning or hot plastic
Drains or rotten eggs

Switch it off and unplug it now

If it smells of burning

Switch it off and unplug it, or flip its breaker in the fuse box. A burning smell points to a cable, a motor or the board. Don’t switch it back on until we’ve seen it.

Can wait a few days

If it smells damp

Mould and bacteria on the coil and in the drip tray: it happens mostly when you switch it on after months unused.
Dirty filters.

Sorted with a deep clean and by disinfecting the water circuit. It’s included in the Full plan.

Can wait a few days

If it smells of drains

The drain pipe runs into a soil stack with no trap, and the smell comes back up it.
Standing water in the tray.

What you can check yourself

Wash the filters and let them dry in the shade.
When you turn the cooling off, leave it on fan for ten minutes: it dries inside and less mould grows.
Don’t put air fresheners at the air intake: they mask the smell, they don’t get rid of it.

If it smells of burning, don’t wait: switch it off and unplug it.

Won’t turn on or a light is flashing

What exactly does it do?

Nothing: no beep and no lights
Beeps at the remote but doesn’t start
Starts and stops after a few minutes
A light flashes or a code appears

Have you tried new batteries in the remote?

Yes, and it’s the same
Not yet

Can wait: try this first

If you haven’t changed the batteries yet

Start with the easy bit: new batteries, and see whether the remote’s screen lights up.
With weak batteries the remote may still beep, but it doesn’t send the command properly.

Best we look at it this week

If nothing happens even with new batteries

It isn’t getting power: its breaker in the fuse box is off or the socket is faulty.
The control board or the remote’s receiver.

Best we look at it this week

If it beeps but won’t start

After a power cut, some units wait a few minutes before starting: it’s a safety feature.
The timer or the mode is set wrong.
A fault in the outdoor unit or in the link between the two.

Best we look at it this week

If it starts and then stops

An overheat protection trips: the outdoor unit is covered, poorly ventilated or very dirty.
Low on refrigerant.
Very dirty filters.

Best we look at it this week

If a light flashes or a code appears

A flashing light is an error code. Count how many times it flashes in a row, or note down the code on the screen, and put it in your request: that way we know which part to bring.

Every make has its own code table: sensors, board, fan or refrigerant pressure.

What you can check yourself

New batteries in the remote.
Find the air con breaker in the fuse box — it’s usually labelled ‘aire’ or ‘A/A’ — and check it’s switched on.
Unplug it or switch off its breaker for five minutes and try again: sometimes it resets.
Turn off the timer and set the mode by hand.

If it fails again after a restart, don’t keep trying: switching it on and off over and over strains the compressor.

The RCD trips

When does it trip?

As soon as I switch it on
After it’s been running a while
Mostly when it rains or it’s very humid

Does it trip with the air con unplugged too?

No, only when the air con is on
Yes, without the air con too

Best we look at it this week

If it trips without the air con too

The problem may be in the home’s wiring or another appliance: that’s one for an electrician. If you like, we can check it on the visit.

Switch it off and unplug it now

If it trips when it rains

Water or damp is getting into the outdoor unit or a connection: current leaks to earth and the RCD cuts it off. That’s exactly its job.

Switch it off and unplug it now

If it trips as soon as it’s switched on

Current leaking in the compressor, a cable or the board.

Switch it off and unplug it now

If it trips after a while

A part that heats up and leaks current: the compressor, the fan motor or a damaged cable.

What you can check yourself

Leave the air con unplugged or with its breaker off until we come.
Reset the RCD so the rest of the house has power.
If you can, note when it trips: what time, whether it was raining, whether it was cooling or heating.

Don’t keep resetting it with the air con on: the RCD is what protects you from an electric shock.

04.2 What the visit costs

We tell you the price before any repair

The diagnosis is what it costs for us to come out, look at it and tell you what’s wrong. If we then do the repair, it comes off the bill. If you’re not happy with the price, you only pay for the diagnosis.

See which zone your town is in

Call-out sheetClima Nord

Diagnosis: €45
Call-out · zone 1Burjassot, Godella, Rocafort, Paterna: free
Call-out · zone 2Moncada, Tavernes Blanques: €10
Call-out · zone 3Alboraia, València: €15
If we do the repair: − €45

The repair is extra and we tell you the price before we start. Guide prices, VAT (IVA) included.

04.3 Frequently asked questions

What people ask us most on the phone

Air con outdoor unit on the ground next to a shop’s blue-green shutter — Fig. AThe outdoor unit: dripping is usually normal.

How often does it need re-gassing?

If there’s no leak, never. The refrigerant is in a sealed circuit and doesn’t get used up. If it’s low, it’s escaping somewhere, and that’s the first thing to fix.

Is it normal for it to drip outside?

Yes. In cooling mode water comes out of the drain pipe, and in heating mode the outdoor unit sheds water as it defrosts. It’s only a problem if it drips where it’s a nuisance.

Can I clean the filters myself?

Yes, and it’s worth doing once a month in season: lukewarm water, no hard scrubbing, and let them dry in the shade before putting them back. The inside clean, of the coil and the drain, is best left for the service.

Is it worth repairing, or should I replace it?

It depends on the fault and the age. Over ten years old with a compressor or board fault, it’s often not worth it: a new inverter uses about half the electricity. We’ll tell you at the diagnosis, before touching anything.

Can I re-gas it myself?

No. Handling air con refrigerant requires an F-gas certificate, and before recharging you have to recover what’s left and find the leak.

Do you come out at weekends?

We work Monday to Friday. If you email at the weekend, we’ll reply first thing on Monday and give you a day.

Switch it off and unplug it, without waiting for anyone, if this happens

It smells of burning or smoke is coming from the unit.
The RCD trips every time you switch it on.
Water is dripping onto a socket or an electrical appliance.

Call 960 00 00 00

Demonstration page prepared for Clima Nord. This is not the business’s official website.