New Aircon Installation

What does a new aircon installation involve?

A new aircon installation fits the indoor fan coils and outdoor unit, runs and insulates the copper pipes and the drain, then tests the new pipes for leaks and pumps out air and moisture before the refrigerant is released. Correct sizing, outdoor unit placement and clearing the pipes properly decide how well the system cools and how long it lasts. The systems themselves are sold on our Shopee store, where you can compare models and prices. Buy on Shopee and we supply the full installation, arranging the date with you. This page is about how we put them in.

How do we install a new system?

1. Check the site. We look at each room's size, sun exposure and hours of use, plus the piping route, any existing trunking and the outdoor ledge.
2. Size each room. Bedrooms commonly take 9,000 or 12,000 BTU fan coils and living rooms 18,000 or 24,000 BTU, matched to one outdoor unit for a System 2, 3 or 4.
3. Mount the units. The outdoor unit is placed so fresh air can reach it from all sides and its hot exhaust is not drawn straight back in.
4. Run the piping and drain. Copper pipes are insulated along their length, and the drain pipe is laid with enough fall for the water to run away.
5. Test for leaks. We test the connected pipes for leaks, and any leak is fixed before going further.
6. Pump out air and moisture. A vacuum pump clears the air and moisture out of the new pipes before any gas is released.
7. Release the gas and test. Extra refrigerant is added by measurement if the pipe run needs it, then we check cooling and drainage.

Why are steps 5 and 6 so important?

New pipes are full of ordinary air, and in Singapore that air carries a lot of moisture. Left inside, moisture reacts with the refrigerant and compressor oil to form acid and sludge, and Uncle Eric treats pumping the pipes out properly on R32 systems as non-negotiable. Our post on why vacuum evacuation matters explains it in full.

What should you check before you buy?

| Warranty | Manufacturer warranty on parts, installer warranty on workmanship, both in writing | Judge a brand on year eight, not year one: local service-centre support, spare parts for older models and how easily the unit comes apart for cleaning. Our guide to choosing an aircon in Singapore covers each point, and a technician's view of Mitsubishi Electric Starmex shows those checks on one range.

What should Singapore homes know?

Most HDB flats, BTOs and condos use a multi-split, so one outdoor unit sits on the ledge instead of one per room. West-facing and top-floor rooms run hotter and may need the next size up. A boxed-in outdoor unit works harder and cools less, and bird droppings on a ledge can clog even a brand-new condenser, as in our post on a new aircon not cooling well. When you replace an old system, we check whether the existing piping, trunking and ledge can be reused safely. In an HDB flat, read HDB aircon ledge and installer rules before you buy. After installation, regular premium servicing keeps the new coil and blower fan clean from the start.

What affects the price?

• The system, System 1 to 4, and the capacity of each fan coil
• The length of the pipe runs and whether old piping can be reused
• Trunking, concealed piping and how the pipes reach each room
• Access to the ledge and the condition of the brackets
• Whether old units need to be removed Installation labour starts from S$500. Supply and materials are quoted when the job needs them, and every job is quoted before we start.

Warranty

The units carry the manufacturer's warranty on parts. Our workmanship warranty on an installation runs from 12 months, depending on the job, and covers the flare joints, piping and drainage.