An aircon service is a scheduled clean and check of the whole system, not a repair: filters, coils, drain, electrics and a performance test. ServiceLink SA recommends servicing before summer. For a basic split unit it lists R500 to R800 (published 10 April 2026); Electric Vines lists R350 to R1,200 (undated, accessed 9 November 2026).
What a service actually covers
A service is maintenance. Nothing has broken yet, and the aim is to keep it that way.
ServiceLink SA lists what a standard residential service includes: filter cleaning, indoor and outdoor coil cleaning, a drain line flush, a check on the refrigerant side, an electrical inspection, a fan motor check, a performance test and a service report. Engico, a Gauteng installer, adds the tightness of electrical terminals and the condition of capacitors and contactors, and calls flushing the condensate drain a non-negotiable part of the visit.
Two things a service is not.
It isn't a regas. Engico says its base fee doesn't include a refrigerant refill, and ServiceLink SA lists a top-up as an extra when a leak is found. If the unit seems low on charge, the technician checks airflow, operating conditions and the manufacturer's diagnostic measurements before deciding whether the charge is low. Fixing that is a separate job on the refrigerant circuit. Work on the refrigerant circuit needs an SAQCC Gas registered practitioner. Our page on aircon regas and leak repair explains how that job runs.
And it isn't a fix for a unit that has already failed. If yours is leaking, iced up or tripping the breaker, that's aircon repair.
Highveld dust is why the outdoor unit needs more than a wipe
Highveld dust is hard on an aircon.
Engico names Midrand and Centurion as areas particularly prone to high dust levels, because of ongoing development and open landscapes. ServiceLink SA says Gauteng dust clogs filters faster, which is why it advises cleaning them every two weeks and, in dusty areas, a professional service every six months.
Those are two operators' views, not a standard. A blocked filter and a clogged coil both make the unit work harder, and the dust doesn't check the age of the unit.
When to service
ServiceLink SA recommends servicing before summer. Follow your unit's maintenance schedule and account for how heavily it is used.
How often should an aircon be serviced?
At least once a year is the figure most South African operators give for a home aircon, ideally before summer. The detail varies, and the sources don't agree.
| Source | Interval it gives |
|---|---|
| ServiceLink SA, 9 April 2026 | Once a year before summer for standard home use; every 6 months for heavy use or dusty areas; quarterly for an office running long hours |
| Electric Vines, undated, accessed 9 November 2026 | Twice a year, in spring and autumn |
| Engico, 26 July 2026 | At least once a year for a home; quarterly for commercial |
Read that as three operators' recommendations. Each of them sells or arranges servicing, and none is a regulation or a manufacturer's schedule. Your unit's manual may say something different, so it's worth a look.
A sensible reading: once a year before summer if the unit is used in the hot months only. Twice a year if it runs most of the year, or if it sits near a dusty road or building site. A guest room that's rarely used can stretch longer. ServiceLink SA gives 18 to 24 months for light seasonal use, though its own page also gives 24 to 36 months for a very lightly used room.
What you can clean yourself, and where to stop
The filter is the one job that can belong to you, on units where the manual says it is user-removable. Engico calls monthly filter cleaning the only task an owner should do on their own.
Do this only if you can reach the indoor unit from the floor. If it's above shoulder height, don't stand on a chair or a ladder; ask for the filter to be cleaned at the service.
- Safely switch the unit off and disconnect the power. Samsung South Africa's instructions start there.
- Inspect and clean user-removable filters as the manual directs. Open only the user-access filter panel; do not remove equipment covers.
- Vacuum the dust off. If it's heavily soiled, rinse it in lukewarm water and brush gently. Engico warns against aggressive cleaners and pressure washing.
- Dry it fully, out of direct sunlight. Samsung says sun can deform the filter. ServiceLink SA says to let it dry completely before it goes back.
- Refit it until it clicks, then run the unit in Cool or Fan mode.
How often? Samsung South Africa says every two weeks. Engico says monthly. In Gauteng dust, lean towards the shorter gap. Samsung also warns against acetone, benzene or alcohol on the unit's surfaces.
Outside, keep the manufacturer's required clearances around the outdoor unit. Clear loose leaves and litter from around it with the power off, without reaching into or under it.
Leave the rest to a technician: the coils, the drain line, anything electrical, and anything that touches the refrigerant. Coil fins bend at a touch, so leave the coils alone. Don't climb or lean to reach an outdoor unit on a high bracket. Check your body corporate or estate rules before anyone works on the outside of a building.
How much does aircon servicing cost?
A basic split-unit service is listed at different prices by different operators. Use these examples to know what to ask about, then compare quotes with the same service scope.
| Source and date | Basic split-unit service | Other figures |
|---|---|---|
| ServiceLink SA, published 10 April 2026 | R500 to R800 | Multi-split (2 to 4 indoor units): R800 to R1,500 |
| Electric Vines, "AC Service Price List 2026", undated, accessed 9 November 2026 | R350 to R750 on one part of its page, R600 to R1,200 on another | Deeper service: R750 to R1,500; Johannesburg basic service calls start from R700 to R900 |
Four things move the number. How many units there are. How deep the service goes: a filter-and-check visit and a full deep clean aren't the same product. Access, since an outdoor unit that needs a ladder takes longer. And whether a fault turns up. A refrigerant top-up when a leak is found is listed by ServiceLink SA (10 April 2026) at R800 to R2,500 extra.
ServiceLink SA says most companies waive the call-out fee if you go ahead with the service.
A fair price for your units needs a few details about them.
Also on this site
- Something already wrong: aircon repair
- A low charge and top-ups: aircon regas and leak repair
- If a replacement is on the cards: aircon installation cost
- Areas: Johannesburg · Pretoria · Centurion · Sandton · Randburg · Midrand
- Contact
Questions people ask
How much does aircon servicing cost?
ServiceLink SA lists R500 to R800 for a basic split-unit service (published 10 April 2026). Electric Vines lists R350 to R1,200 across two sections of its page (undated, accessed 9 November 2026). Deeper services cost more, and a fair price for your units needs a few details about them.
How often should an aircon be serviced?
South African operators suggest at least once a year, ideally before summer. Some suggest twice a year for heavy use or dusty sites. That's operators' advice, not a regulation.
Does an aircon service include a regas?
No. Engico says a refrigerant refill isn't part of its base fee. A low charge can result from a leak or an incorrect previous charge, so the cause needs diagnosis before refrigerant is added. That is a separate job on the refrigerant circuit.
Can I service my own aircon?
You can clean a user-removable filter as the manual directs, and keep the outdoor unit's required clearances. Coils, the drain line, electrics and refrigerant are for a technician. Work on the refrigerant circuit needs an SAQCC Gas registered practitioner.
When is the best time to service an aircon in Gauteng?
Before summer. ServiceLink SA recommends servicing before summer. Follow your unit's maintenance schedule and account for how heavily it is used.
Is a service worth it on a newer unit?
Filters and coils get dirty on a new unit too, and the dust doesn't check the age. Your manual may list a maintenance schedule worth following.
Sources for the figures and rules on this page
Checked 2026-11-09. Each is one operator's published advice unless stated.
- Service inclusions (filter, coils, drain flush, refrigerant-side check, electrical inspection, fan motor, performance test, report); standard split R500 to R800; multi-split R800 to R1,500; call-out often waived; top-up if leak found R800 to R2,500 extra: ServiceLink SA, published 10 April 2026 servicelinksa.co.za (opens in a new tab)
- Frequency by use (annual before summer; heavy use 6 months; dusty areas 6 months; Gauteng filters every 2 weeks; light use 18 to 24 months, and 24 to 36 months for a very light room, the page gives both): ServiceLink SA, published 9 April 2026 servicelinksa.co.za (opens in a new tab)
- Residential split R350 to R750 and R600 to R1,200 (the page gives both), deeper service R750 to R1,500; Johannesburg basic service calls start from R700 to R900; service twice a year, spring and autumn: Electric Vines, "AC Service Price List 2026", no publication date, accessed 2026-11-09, prices described on the page as indicative electricvines.co.za (opens in a new tab)
- Midrand and Centurion particularly prone to high dust levels (ongoing development, open landscapes); at least once a year (residential); monthly filter cleaning the only owner task; lukewarm water, no aggressive cleaners or pressure washing; terminals, capacitors, contactors; drain flush; base fee excludes refill: Engico, 26 July 2026 engico.co.za (opens in a new tab)
- Filter cleaning steps, every 2 weeks, power off, no acetone, benzene or alcohol, dry out of direct sunlight: Samsung South Africa, last updated 13 October 2020 samsung.com (opens in a new tab)
- Let the filter dry fully before reinstalling: ServiceLink SA, 9 April 2026 servicelinksa.co.za (opens in a new tab)
- Refrigerant work needs an SAQCC Gas registered practitioner: SAQCC Gas, SARACCA registration category page, checked 2026-11-09 saqccgas.co.za (opens in a new tab)