The unit is mounted above the bed / above the kitchen counter – can it be washed in place?
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Two situations at home (Bragadiru): a 9,000 BTU unit right above the double bed, 30 cm from the headboard, and a 12,000 BTU in the open-plan kitchen above the counter with the hob. One company said 'no water possible, only spray' because of the position. Is that true?
What is really happening
The double waterproof cover has its top edge sealed to the wall and a funnel bottom towards the hose; as long as it is sealed correctly, what lies underneath does not matter. Bedroom units (8 hours of condensation a night, closed room) and kitchen units (cooking grease stuck to the fins) are precisely the ones most in need of real washing, not spray. Kitchen grease requires alkaline detergent with a longer contact time; bedroom biofilm requires the roller washed blade by blade.
- The area and sensitive components are protected before work.
- The cover collects wash water.
- The hose directs water into a container.
- Washing with alkaline detergent, brushing and high-pressure rinsing reduces fungi inside the unit by more than 99%. [Indoor Air, 2023]
- The blower (cross-flow fan) is the most fungus-contaminated component of a split unit, more than the filter or the front of the evaporator. [Indoor Air, 2023]
- EPA warns that the effectiveness of biocides sprayed into air systems has not been demonstrated and their health effects are uncertain. [US EPA, 2024]
- Filter efficiency and indoor particle concentration are the most important factors determining how fast the evaporator fouls. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / , 2002]
What we do on site
- Bedroom: we pull the bed 50 cm away or cover it fully with foil; double cover sealed to the wall, 2 m hose led past the nightstand to the bucket.
- Kitchen: hob and counter covered with foil; cover fitted; the hose into a bucket on the counter or floor.
- Both: alkaline detergent (in the kitchen, 10–15 minutes' contact for grease), adjustable pressure wash of evaporator, roller, pan and hose; sanitising; filters (kitchen ones with degreaser).
- Outdoor units washed in place.
- Drying on 'Fan', test, bucket with clear water. See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Kitchen: filters weekly with dish soap; use the hood when cooking.
- Bedroom: 'Fan' for 20–30 minutes before switching off in the morning.
What NOT to do
- Do not accept 'spray only' on grounds of position.
- Do not let the company wash above the bed without foil 'because we have the cover' – the cover is for water, the foil is for splashes.
Prevention
Bedroom yearly (twice with children/allergies); open-plan kitchen yearly, with weekly filters.
When to call us
0764 012 943, WhatsApp, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00; Bragadiru is in our area.
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The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.