What your air conditioner is trying to tell you
A breakdown is often announced by a specific sign. Noting it helps the technician prepare:
- it blows but no longer cools: clogged filter, dirty coil, refrigerant shortage or a tired compressor;
- water drips from the indoor unit: blocked condensate drain or insufficient fall;
- frost appears on the pipes or coil: airflow too low or not enough refrigerant;
- a new noise (clicking, whistling, vibration): fan, mounting or blower wheel to check;
- the unit cuts out or shows an error code: sensor, control board or electrical protection;
- an unpleasant smell on start-up: condensate tray and coil need cleaning.
Whether the air conditioner is in your home or your business, describe what you observe: it is the starting point of the diagnosis.
Diagnosis, measuring instruments in hand
Several faults produce the same symptoms. Replacing parts at random is costly and solves nothing. Our air-conditioning technician therefore relies on readings:
- return and supply air temperatures, to measure what the unit actually delivers;
- current drawn, to assess the condition of the compressor and motors;
- circuit pressures, to see whether the refrigerant charge is correct;
- leak detection on joints and coils;
- checks on sensors, connections and the control board.
These readings isolate the cause and rule out false leads. The technician shows you the values and explains what they mean.
Your written approval before any repair
Once the cause is identified, you receive a free quote specifying the part, the labour and, where relevant, leak detection and refrigerant recharge. You decide in your own time. Nothing goes ahead without your written approval.
Work on the refrigerant circuit is carried out by a technician holding the refrigerant handling certificate and recorded on an intervention sheet, as the regulations require.
Repair, replace a part or change the unit
We favour repair whenever it is reasonable: a fan, a sensor or a drain can be replaced without changing the whole system. When the unit is very old, uses a refrigerant being phased out or parts are no longer available, we tell you frankly and compare the cost of a repair with that of a new installation.
After the repair, readings are taken again to confirm the result. They appear in your service report, together with the cause found and the work done. Your unit then joins our active vigilance programme: we keep its history and get back in touch before the next season.
Avoiding the next breakdown
A good share of summer breakdowns comes from lack of servicing: saturated filters, blocked drains, dirty coils. Annual servicing at €130 incl. VAT (1 indoor and 1 outdoor unit) greatly reduces that risk.
Requesting a visit
We usually come within 24 to 72 hours in Paris and throughout Île-de-France, depending on the season and your area. Describe the fault using our form, giving the brand and the symptoms, or call +33 9 83 30 98 07.