15-year-old unit full of mould – worth sanitising or replace it?

What is really happening

A completely black roller means a thick layer of biofilm and mature fungal colonies that reach the room at every start – environmental guidance actually advises not to run a system you know is mould-contaminated, because it spreads it through the home. The good news: washing with alkaline detergent and pressure removes over 99% of the fungi from the unit regardless of age; the evaporator's aluminium and the roller's plastic do not 'age' in the sense of holding mould more tightly. What you need to know with a 15-year-old unit is that we promise nothing about cooling or consumption – only that it will be clean; if it has refrigeration problems, that is another discussion, with another specialist.

Explanatory diagramWhat a visible deposit can show

What we do on site

1. We come, open, look and tell you honestly whether it is worth it – if we see it is not, you pay nothing.
2. Collection cover; on old units we use more generous film, the housing is sometimes brittle.
3. Cleaning solution with longer contact time, pressure wash in place, repeated if the water does not run clear.
4. Sanitising solution on evaporator, roller, pan.
5. Outdoor unit on the balcony, washed in place – at 15 years it is usually fully clogged.
6. See current rates on the Prices page.

What you can do yourself

• Until we come, stop using it – open the window in the evening.
• Filters: you already removed them, wash them and let them dry.
• After sanitising: 'Fan' for 20 minutes before shut-off, that is the rule that keeps it clean.

What NOT to do

Prevention

A well-washed old unit is a good unit. Annual sanitising and daily drying, and when it truly stops cooling, then we talk about replacement.

When to call us

0764 012 943, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00 – we can also come early morning if that suits you.