Guides
Aircon guides from a working technician
My guides on aircon and washing machine problems, prices and care, translated from Thai. Every price quoted is my current published rate.
Aircon problems
Aircon making a grinding or whistling noise? 6 causes, and how to tell what can wait and what can't
A change in the sound of your aircon is the best early warning you will get, because mechanical parts almost always get noisy before they fail. What matters is knowing which part the sound comes from, what can wait, and what needs attention now.
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Aircon problems
Aircon keeps cutting out, won't switch on, or the light is blinking: the usual causes, and how to read the blink code
An aircon that keeps cutting out or will not start is usually not broken. It is the unit's own protection telling you something is wrong, and a blinking light is a code the unit is reporting for you to read.
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Prices and costs
R32, R410A and R22 refrigerant: how they differ, and what to check before you agree to a top-up
Major manufacturers are progressively switching new inverter aircon models to R32. This guide compares the refrigerants, their prices per pound, and what you should check before agreeing to a top-up.
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Aircon problems
Ice on the indoor coil or the refrigerant pipe: what to do straight away, and the causes I find most often
Ice on the coil does not mean your aircon is cooling well. It means the system is not working properly, and if you keep running it, the damage can reach the compressor.
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Aircon problems
Aircon dripping water: what causes it and how to fix it, starting with the blocked drain line I find most often
Water dripping from an aircon should not be ignored. It soaks into ceilings, grows mould on walls, and in older wooden houses it can swell the timber for good. Finding the cause and fixing it works far better than catching the drips in a bucket.
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Aircon guides
How to tell whether your aircon technician cleaned properly or just sprayed through the cover: 7 things to check
You cannot really judge an aircon clean by eye, because the real dirt sits deep inside the unit. So I have put together 7 checkpoints you can use to assess the quality of the work yourself.
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Prices and costs
Standard aircon cleaning prices for 2026: typical rates for every type, and how to compare what each quote covers before you decide
Aircon cleaning in Chiang Mai ranges from 300 up to 2,300–2,500 THB. I break down what the difference pays for, and which steps each price level covers.
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Washing machines
Black mould on a front-loader door gasket: how far cleaning can take it, and what cannot be restored
The door gasket holds standing water after every wash, so it is the first place mould appears. I explain how far you can get by wiping it yourself, what you should not use, and where the line falls between grime that comes off and mould that has sunk into the rubber.
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Washing machines
How often should you clean your washing machine? Go by how you use it, not by the calendar
The usual answer is once a year, but a home that washes every day and one that washes twice a week should not go by the same rule. I explain which factors make the difference and how to tell when your machine is due.
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Prices and costs
Aircon repair costs in Chiang Mai: how much is too much, and what to check before you agree to a price
An aircon repair bill is made up of a diagnostic charge, labour and parts. Here is how to judge whether the figure you have been given is reasonable.
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Aircon problems
Aircon blowing air but not cooling: 10 common causes in Chiang Mai, and what you can check yourself before calling a technician
An aircon that blows air but does not cool can have many causes, from something you can fix yourself in 2 minutes to a worn-out compressor. I explain each cause in turn, with how to tell which one most likely matches your symptoms.
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Aircon guides
Should you repair an old aircon or replace it? I work it out in numbers for you before you decide
Not every case calls for a new unit, and not every case calls for a repair. I give you five concrete criteria so you can assess the unit at home yourself.
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Cleaning front-loading and top-loading washing machines: different steps, residue spots and prices
Top loaders build up heavy residue at the bottom of the drum and under the wash plate, while front loaders build it up in the door seal and around the heater in the outer tub. These two spots need different ways of dismantling, which is why the prices differ.
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Aircon problems
A musty or sour smell from your aircon: is the mould inside harmful, and why deodorising sprays do not work
A musty smell from your aircon is not just a nuisance. It is a sign that mould is growing inside a unit you run every night, and a deodorising spray only covers the smell for a while.
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Prices and costs
Aircon using too much electricity: what temperature saves power, and does cleaning really cut the bill?
A higher electricity bill in the hot season mostly does not come from running the aircon for longer, but from the compressor running longer each cycle without you knowing.
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Washing machines
Choosing a washing machine cleaner: six things to check before booking, and answers worth a follow-up question
A washing machine strip-down clean means taking your machine apart piece by piece and putting it back together. So before price, what matters is whether the person doing the work understands how the machine is built.
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Aircon guides
Making your own PM2.5 dust-free room in Chiang Mai: what to do first, and which jobs to leave to a technician
A dust-free room is not just a matter of buying an air purifier and putting it in the room. It means closing off the ways dust gets in first, and then letting the purifier deal with what is left.
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Aircon guides
Inverter vs non-inverter aircon: how they differ, and which one is better value for your home
An inverter really does use less electricity, but that does not make it better value for every home. The answer depends on how long you run the aircon at a stretch, and how much risk of a circuit board repair bill you are willing to take on.
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Prices and costs
Aircon installation cost in Chiang Mai: what it includes, and which parts cost extra on site
The aircon installation prices you see advertised are usually the labour for a standard pipe length. What makes the real total differ from what you expected is the pipe length and where the outdoor unit goes. I break down what is inside an installation bill.
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Aircon guides
Calculating the right aircon BTU for your room: the formula, a size chart, and the Chiang Mai rooms I recommend sizing up for
Choosing the wrong BTU does not only affect how cool the room gets, because an oversized aircon causes different problems from an undersized one. I walk you through the calculation step by step and explain which kinds of rooms in Chiang Mai should be sized up.
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Aircon guides
How often should an aircon be cleaned, and why homes in Chiang Mai need it more often than elsewhere
Every 6 months is only a middle figure for typical use. I work out the right interval for your home from the hours of use, the surroundings of the building and Chiang Mai's seasons, rather than by counting calendar months.
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Aircon guides
Can you clean your own aircon? 5 jobs you really can do yourself, and 4 that damage the unit
About half of aircon care is work home owners can and should do themselves. The rest involves water pressure, electrics and refrigerant, and if it is done the wrong way the repair costs many times more than a clean.
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Aircon guides
Aircon cleaning for restaurants and cafés: why it needs doing far more often than at home
A shop's aircon runs 10 hours or more a day and takes in grease from the kitchen, so the cleaning interval used at home does not work for a business. I explain suitable intervals and how to schedule the work without losing a day of sales.
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Aircon guides
Standard aircon clean at 500 vs strip-down clean at 2,300–2,500: how they differ, and which homes should pay more
The price differs by more than three times, but not every home needs the more expensive service. I explain, using the criteria I actually apply on the job, when a standard clean is enough and when a strip-down clean is the only option that fixes the problem.
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Washing machines
Can you clean your washing machine yourself? Which parts you can do, and which need the machine taken apart
Looking after a washing machine involves some parts you really can do yourself and should do regularly, and other parts that can only be reached by taking the machine apart.
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Washing machines
Washing machine cleaning at your home: can it really be done on site, and what do you need to prepare?
A washing machine strip-down clean can be done entirely at your home, with no need to load the machine onto a truck and take it to a shop. What you need is about an arm's length of clear space around the machine, a water point and a drain.
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Laundry smells musty after washing: the cause is on the outside of the drum, where drum cleaner cannot reach
A washing machine drum has two layers. Detergent residue and mould build up between them, in a place you cannot see and that cleaner poured in and spun cannot reach. I explain where that is in the machine and how you can do a basic check yourself.
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Aircon guides
Aircon cleaning for PM2.5 in Chiang Mai: why aircons get dirty so much faster in the smoke haze season
The smoke haze months of February to April are when aircons in Chiang Mai work hardest all year. In the jobs I take during that period, coils and filters carry clearly more soot than in other seasons, and the units start losing performance from mid-season.
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Washing machine drum cleaning prices: why they differ, and what counts as normal
Different prices usually do not mean one provider is more expensive. They mean the prices refer to different jobs: pouring in a cleaning solution and running a cycle, versus lifting the drum out and cleaning every part.
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Buying an aircon online in the 9.9, 10.10 or 11.11 sales? Make these 6 checks before you order, so the unit you get installs and works the way you need
A sale-price aircon can be good value, but the value only comes when the unit is the right size for the room and is installed with every step done. I have put together 6 things to check before you order, based on the questions customers buying aircons online ask me most often.
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Aircon guides
Moving an aircon: the steps that cannot be skipped, and what makes an aircon fail after a move
An aircon move done without all the steps usually shows no symptoms straight away, but turns into poor cooling or a failed compressor a few months later. I explain which steps cannot be skipped and why.
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