Resale flat aircon checks, room by room
You check the aircon in a resale flat by reading each unit's label, running every unit and asking for its records. Ask the seller if you can do this during a viewing. These are practical checks, not rules from any agency.
- Read the labels. Note the model, year and refrigerant on each indoor unit and on the outdoor unit. This simple aircon age check tells you how old each part of the system is.
- Run each unit for 10 minutes. Switch every indoor unit on in cooling mode and feel the air after 10 minutes. It should feel cold.
- Look under the indoor units. Check the wall and floor below each unit for water stains, and ask the seller about any you find.
- Listen at the outdoor unit. Rattles or knocking are worth asking about.
- Ask for servicing receipts. Receipts show how often the units were serviced and what work was done.
If you are taking over an old aircon in a resale HDB flat, list each unit with its year and refrigerant so you can plan what to service first after you move in. The aircon is only one part of the flat, so use the resale flat inspection checklist for everything else.
The outdoor unit and brackets
The outdoor condensing unit sits on the aircon ledge, held in place by its brackets. HDB's air-conditioner care guide asks owners to have the condensing unit serviced regularly by a licensed service provider, and to ask whether its brackets need replacement because of rust and corrosion. The guide notes that loose bolts or improper installation can result in accidents. It also says flat owners must engage a trained installer for units on or projecting from the exterior of the flat, and owners who do not comply face a fine and/or jail.
HDB's renovation guidelines for air-conditioner installation say air conditioners must be installed by a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) trained air conditioning condensing unit installer. The same guidelines say the aircon ledge is to be used strictly for the condensing unit only.
During a viewing, look at the brackets from inside the flat. Visible rust or flaking metal is worth raising with the seller and with a service provider.
If the brackets or the outdoor unit need replacing, compare companies that offer aircon installation and ask whether their installers are BCA trained.
Refrigerant and age
The refrigerant on the label matters as much as the year. R22 is an HCFC refrigerant used in older units. The National Environment Agency (NEA) circular on the HCFC phase-out schedule states that Singapore is required to completely phase out its consumption of HCFCs by 2030 under the Montreal Protocol. For what that means if your flat has R22 units, see the guide to R22 aircon in older units.
If the label shows R32 instead, note that too. NEA's page on reducing emissions from refrigerants says the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) offers a Certificate of Competency in Residential Air-Conditioning System (Refrigerant) course for household aircon technicians. The page adds that, to comply with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) requirements on handling R32 systems, manufacturers must ensure service personnel have completed ITE training. When you book servicing for an R32 unit, you can ask whether the technician has done this course.
If a unit cools poorly during your check, read up on aircon gas leak signs and mention what you noticed when you book a technician.
Energy Label ticks
NEA's Energy Label rates air-conditioners from 1 tick (Low) to 5 ticks (Excellent), and more ticks means a more efficient unit. NEA also says consumers must only buy NEA-registered appliances.
As practical advice, an older unit in a resale flat may predate the current label. Compare ticks only when you are choosing a replacement, not to judge the unit you are inheriting. If you do replace a unit, the 5-tick or 3-tick aircon comparison sets out how the two differ, so you can weigh the label against your budget and how often you run the aircon.
Repair or replace after you move in
When a unit stops cooling after you move in, compare published rates for a troubleshooting or diagnostic visit before you book.
FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY
Published aircon repair and inspection rates
For the most common unit (per job), the lowest published rates from 11 companies run from S$40 to S$100. Each figure is one company's own advertised rate with its conditions, not a market average or a quote.
See 21 published repair or inspection rates and sources
| Company | Service as listed | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyzone Aircon Pte Ltd | Aircon diagnosis fee (residential) | S$27.25 per visit | skyzone.com.sg |
| Snowflake Services LLP | Diagnostic visit (waived if you proceed) | S$30 per visit | snowflakeaircon.sg |
| City Cooling Pte Ltd | Checking | S$35 per unit | citycoolingengr.com.sg |
| A-Max Aircon | Troubleshooting | S$40 per job | amaxaircon.com |
| Blossom Engineering & Construction Pte. Ltd. | Troubleshooting | S$40 per job | blossomaircon.com |
| Coolest Aircon Service Pte Ltd | Aircon Repair | S$40 per visit | coolestaircon.com.sg |
| Doctor Cool | Aircon repair or troubleshooting | S$40 per job | doctorcoolsg.com |
| SmartCool Aircon Servicing Singapore | Troubleshooting | S$40 to S$80 per job | smartcool.sg |
| Thetop Aircon Service | Aircon troubleshooting repair | From S$40 per job | thetop.com.sg |
| Goodcool | Aircon Troubleshooting | S$43.60 per job | bestairconservicing.com |
| Aircon Boon | Ttroubleshooting [sic] | S$50 per job | airconsg88.com |
| Sky Blue Aircon Engineering Pte. Ltd. | Troubleshooting & diagnostics visit (from; waived upon repair) | From S$50 per visit | skyblueaircon.com |
| Jiaxing Holdings Pte. Ltd. | Onsite inspection checking fee (waived if the repair proceeds within 1 month) | S$54.50 per visit | jiaxing-aircon.sg |
| Heng Aircon Pte Ltd | Diagnostic check | S$60 per visit | hengaircon.com |
| Same Day Aircon Servicing Repair | Repair troubleshooting (fix quoted separately) | From S$60 to S$80 per job | urgentairconservicing.sg |
| Vois Pte. Ltd. | Aircon troubleshooting | From S$60 per unit | vois.com.sg |
| Airple | Aircon Troubleshooting | S$60.60 per job | airple.com.sg |
| Lion City Air Conditioner Services | Gas troubleshooting | S$87.20 per job | lioncityaircon.sg |
| Joydom Engineering Pte. Ltd. | On-site troubleshooting visit | S$100 per job | joydom.com.sg |
| Cool-Aire Aircon Servicing | VRF Troubleshooting - On site survey / Transport charges | S$150 per visit | coolaire.com.sg |
| Homeone Aircon | Compressor replacement labour, split (<3hp), parts excluded | S$600 per unit | homeone.com.sg |
21 companies publish a repair or inspection line. 11 of them price it per job, and their lowest published rates run from S$40 to S$100 per job, as printed. Other lines use other units as printed: an aircon diagnosis fee of S$27.25 per visit, for example, and compressor replacement labour for a split unit under 3hp at S$600 per unit, parts excluded. The table shows each company's lowest matching rate, so check what each price covers. Some diagnostic and inspection fees are printed as waived if the repair goes ahead.
NEXT STEP
See aircon companies in the directory with their published prices, the areas they say they cover and their sources.
Compare aircon companiesBefore you pay for a repair on an old unit, weigh it against replacement. The post on whether to repair or replace an old aircon covers the trade-offs. When you book aircon repair, ask what the visit includes so quotes are easier to compare. Once the units are working, the aircon servicing checklist helps you keep them that way.
Questions
How old is too old for an aircon in a resale flat?
There is no official age limit for an aircon in a resale flat. What matters is its condition, its refrigerant and its repair history. Check that each unit blows cold air within 10 minutes, read the refrigerant on the label and ask for servicing receipts before you decide whether to keep, repair or replace it.
Can I ask the seller to service the aircon before completion?
Yes, you can ask, but it is a matter to agree with the seller. If the seller agrees, get the arrangement in writing, including which units will be serviced, and ask for the servicing receipts afterwards so you can see what work was done.
How do I tell if an aircon uses R22?
Read the label on the indoor or outdoor unit, which lists the refrigerant. If it says R22, the unit uses an HCFC refrigerant, and NEA's phase-out circular states that Singapore must completely phase out its consumption of HCFCs by 2030.
Do I need to replace rusty aircon brackets?
Ask a licensed service provider. HDB's air-conditioner care guide asks owners to have the condensing unit serviced regularly by a licensed service provider and to ask whether its brackets need replacement because of rust and corrosion. HDB also notes that loose bolts or improper installation can result in accidents.
Who pays if the aircon breaks after I buy the flat?
After completion, it is usually the new owner's cost unless you agreed otherwise with the seller. That is why it helps to run every unit, check the labels and collect servicing receipts before completion. If you made a written agreement with the seller about the aircon, check its terms first.
Should I replace all the aircon units at once?
Not necessarily. Decide unit by unit, based on how each one cools, the refrigerant on its label and its repair history. If several units are old R22 units, ask installers to quote for replacing them together and separately, so you can compare what each option covers.
- phase-out circular
- Energy Label
- air-conditioner care guide
- renovation guidelines for air-conditioner installation
- reducing emissions from refrigerants
Prices come only from the sourced company rates in the HomezyPro directory, shown with each company and its source.
Practical guidance for planning a home job in Singapore. Company prices come from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source; rules and safety points link to the agency or manufacturer that sets them. This is not a site inspection, a quote or professional advice for your home.
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