Mini-split cleaning for landlords and condo associations

Mini-splits are common in triple-deckers, condos and small multi-family buildings that were converted from oil or electric baseboard. Each unit has its own heads, its own tenant or owner and its own filter habits. One dirty head can start a complaint about smell, weak heat or a drip. A scheduled clean takes that off the list. Price is $179 for the first head and $149 for each additional head, the same as for a single home.

What each head gets

• Coil and blower wheel wash with a bag kit that sends the rinse water to a bucket, so floors and walls stay dry.
• Filter cleaning. Filters come out, are cleaned and go back in.
• Condensate line check. The drain is checked so it is not backing up.
• Not included: outdoor units, refrigerant, electrical or repairs. If we see a problem we tell you.

How to scope a building

1. Count the heads per unit. Each indoor wall or ceiling unit is a head, even when several run from one outdoor unit.
2. Send the list with the building address, unit numbers and the contact for access (tenant, owner or manager).
3. Ask how you want visits grouped. We confirm the price and the visit times before we come. You choose whether a visit covers one unit or a whole floor.
4. Give notice. Tell residents when we are coming, following your lease, condo documents and state law. Ask them to clear space under each head.

Who is responsible?

It depends on your lease and, for condos, the master deed and bylaws: some make the unit owner responsible for the heads and the outdoor unit, some put the equipment in a common area. Whoever pays, the filter is usually a resident task and the coil and blower wheel are not. We cannot give legal advice. If you are unsure, read the documents or ask the association's attorney.

Why a building should clean heads on a schedule

• The EPA advises keeping air conditioning drip pans clean and drain lines unobstructed and flowing EPA. Water that is not moving is where mold starts.
• Dirt-related drips and smells are the most common mini-split complaints, see the leak guide and the smell guide.
• A tenant guide for filter care, based on our filter steps, keeps the easy part off your list.
• A professional clean every year or two is a common routine Filterbuy. Yearly is easier to track for a building.

See also: heat pumps for triple-deckers, multi-family electrical, heating tune-ups and dryer vent cleaning.