Many shop owners use the same aircon cleaning interval as at home, once or twice a year, and then wonder why the aircon in the shop loses its cooling so much faster. The answer lies in how much air the unit has to draw through each day, and what is mixed into that air.
A home aircon runs a few hours a day and draws in fairly clean air. An aircon in a shop runs non-stop from opening to closing and takes in dust from people constantly coming and going. In restaurants and cafés there is also grease vapour from cooking and milk vapour from the coffee machine floating in the air.
Grease is what makes the biggest difference compared with a home aircon
Dry dust on the coil fins can still be partly blown off by the airflow. But once grease or milk vapour is mixed in, the dust is stuck to the coil surface as a sticky layer that does not come off by itself, and it keeps getting thicker as it builds up.
- The sticky layer lets less air through the coil, so the unit cools less while using just as much electricity.
- Greasy residue is excellent food for mould, which causes a musty smell that customers notice the moment they walk in.
- A sticky surface holds dust better than a clean one, so each round gets dirty faster than the one before.
- In kitchens where there is frying or stir-frying, residue builds up many times faster than in the dining area.
The cleaning intervals I recommend for each type of business
- Type of premisesRestaurant with an open kitchen, frying or stir-frying
- Recommended interval
- Every 3 months
- Reason
- Grease coats the coil faster than in any other type
- Type of premisesCafé with a coffee machine and bakery
- Recommended interval
- Every 3–4 months
- Reason
- Milk vapour and coffee powder float in the air all day
- Type of premisesRestaurant with a clearly separate kitchen
- Recommended interval
- Every 4 months
- Reason
- The dining area only takes in dust from people coming and going, not grease directly
- Type of premisesOffices and co-working spaces
- Recommended interval
- Every 6 months
- Reason
- No grease, but the units run for many hours a day
- Type of premisesMeeting rooms used occasionally
- Recommended interval
- Once a year
- Reason
- Far fewer hours of use per year
| Type of premises | Recommended interval | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant with an open kitchen, frying or stir-frying | Every 3 months | Grease coats the coil faster than in any other type |
| Café with a coffee machine and bakery | Every 3–4 months | Milk vapour and coffee powder float in the air all day |
| Restaurant with a clearly separate kitchen | Every 4 months | The dining area only takes in dust from people coming and going, not grease directly |
| Offices and co-working spaces | Every 6 months | No grease, but the units run for many hours a day |
| Meeting rooms used occasionally | Once a year | Far fewer hours of use per year |
During Chiang Mai's smoke-haze season, from February to April, you should move one step more frequent than this table, because the amount of soot in the air is significantly higher than at other times of the year.
Most shop aircons are ceiling suspended or cassette units, which are harder to clean
Most shops and offices use ceiling suspended units or four-way cassette units set into the ceiling. These are much larger than wall-mounted units and sit much higher up. Cleaning them means setting up a ladder or scaffolding, and covering the tables, chairs and equipment underneath before starting, because the cleaning water runs straight down.
- Unit typeCeiling suspended unit
- Price
- From 1,300 THB
- Unit typeFour-way ceiling cassette
- Price
- From 1,500 THB
- Unit typeWall-mounted, 9,000–18,000 BTU
- Price
- 500 THB, or 450 THB each for 3 units or more
- Unit typeWall-mounted, 18,001–36,000 BTU
- Price
- 650 THB, or 600 THB each for 2 units or more
| Unit type | Price |
|---|---|
| Ceiling suspended unit | From 1,300 THB |
| Four-way ceiling cassette | From 1,500 THB |
| Wall-mounted, 9,000–18,000 BTU | 500 THB, or 450 THB each for 3 units or more |
| Wall-mounted, 18,001–36,000 BTU | 650 THB, or 600 THB each for 2 units or more |
Prices for ceiling suspended and cassette units are starting prices. The actual price depends on the size of the unit and the height of the ceiling. I assess on site and tell you the price before starting, every time.
How to schedule the work without losing a day of sales
- 1
Tell me the number and type of units in advance
I estimate the total time needed first, so you know how many hours to set aside.
- 2
Choose the morning before opening or after closing
I take bookings outside working hours, such as evenings or Sundays, for an additional service charge, which I tell you before we book. Many shops choose this so they do not have to close for half a day.
- 3
Clean one zone at a time if there are several units
A shop with many units does not need to have them all cleaned in one day. Splitting the work into two rounds lets the shop stay open as usual.
- 4
Book ahead of the smoke-haze season
From January to early February there are still free slots. If you wait until April, the hottest time of year, demand is high across the whole province and the wait gets much longer.
Paperwork for shops and companies
I can issue a full tax invoice in the name of Cher Solutions Co., Ltd. Please send your business name and taxpayer ID number before the appointment.
If you would like an assessment of cleaning intervals and costs for the whole shop, send the number of units, the unit types and the times that suit your shop to our aircon LINE @iu3333.