Melbourne summers arrive fast. The first heatwave catches thousands of households with systems that haven't run in cooling mode for months - filters blocked, drains clogged, and faults that went unnoticed through winter.
Book a professional service in spring, before demand peaks. Technicians have more availability, parts are easier to source, and you avoid the two-week wait times that are common once temperatures climb.
Before your service visit, test cooling mode on a mild day. Confirm the outdoor unit starts, air from the vents is cold within a few minutes, and there are no unusual noises or water leaks from the indoor unit.
Clear at least 30 centimetres around the outdoor condenser - trim vegetation, remove stored items, and hose down the coil gently if it's dusty. Restricted airflow forces the system to work harder and can trip safety switches.
If your system is more than ten years old and struggling to reach set temperature, ask your technician whether repair or replacement delivers better value. Modern inverter systems often pay back through lower running costs within a few seasons.
