How often should commercial air conditioning be serviced?
Recommended service frequencies for offices, shops, kitchens, gyms, salons and server rooms, and what a good service visit covers.
Short answer
Service commercial air conditioning at least once a year, and every three to six months in kitchens, gyms, salons, dusty sites and server rooms that run 24/7. Systems at or above 5 tonnes CO2e also need F-gas leak checks at the legal frequency, which can be done on the same visit.
Recommended frequencies
- Offices and shops: every 12 months, filters cleaned more often if dusty
- Restaurants, cafés and kitchens: every 3–6 months
- Gyms and salons: every 3–6 months
- Server and comms rooms: every 6 months at least
- Healthcare treatment areas: as agreed with infection control
What a service should include
- Filter cleaning or replacement
- Indoor and outdoor coil inspection and cleaning
- Condensate tray, pump and drain checks
- Electrical connections and controls
- Operating pressures and temperatures recorded
- Leak check where required, with records updated
Why it matters
Dirty filters and coils reduce air flow and heat transfer, so the system uses more energy to do the same job. Blocked condensate drains cause leaks through ceilings. Regular readings spot slow refrigerant leaks before the system fails, and manufacturer warranties usually depend on servicing at set intervals.
Questions
Can staff clean the filters?
Yes — many units have washable filters that can be cleaned between services. Leave coils, drains and refrigerant checks to engineers.
Does servicing affect the warranty?
Manufacturer warranties commonly require regular servicing by a competent engineer. Keep the reports.
Related services
- Air conditioning servicing
- Planned maintenance contracts
- Air conditioning cleaning
- F-gas leak checks and records
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; check the current position with the relevant authority for your building.