How to remove the air conditioner in the apartment. How to remove the split system yourself

The buildings 20.06.2020

The buildings

Qualified disconnection and dismantling of the air conditioner requires special training and the availability of professional equipment from the masters. Split system removal services can be quite expensive due to their significant labor intensity. And below you will find out how much it costs to dismantle the air conditioner and about the process itself in more detail.

Modern models of split systems are designed for long-term operation and are characterized by high reliability. Qualified dismantling of the air conditioner involves the implementation of a whole range of complex operations that are associated with high-altitude work. Attempts to deal with the problem on your own may result in the failure of the device after its further installation and connection.

Dismantling of household air conditioners and modern split systems is carried out by specialized companies that work in this area. A reputable company must have the necessary equipment and well-trained personnel. We are highly qualified, which ensures the operability of expensive equipment after its dismantling.

When do you need to remove air conditioners?

Split systems are mounted by the owners of residential premises (country houses and apartments) and the management of companies in offices. Installation and dismantling of household air conditioners most often occurs with the involvement of qualified specialists. The main reasons for the need to dismantle the device are as follows:

Moving a person to another place of residence.
Termination of the lease of office space with the departure of the company from the premises.
The occurrence of significant malfunctions, which cannot be eliminated without dismantling the air conditioner with further installation after repair.
Damage to the indoor or outdoor unit of the split system, making its subsequent operation impossible.
Replacement of a broken air conditioner, which has not yet worked out the warranty period, by representatives of the service center.

In the latter case, the costs of work can be recovered from the manufacturer of the equipment or its representative office. The manufacturer fulfills warranty obligations if the primary installation and connection of split systems and air conditioners, as well as dismantling for repair, is carried out by automated companies.

It is important that this be documented, otherwise you will not be able to confirm your claims in court. The equipment manufacturer will invoke warranties and refuse to perform with good reason.

So, how much does it cost to remove an air conditioner? Average prices

We list the stages of dismantling the air conditioner

Removing an air conditioner involves performing a complex set of works that require experience and high qualifications from the performer. Dismantling, just like installation, must be carried out in a certain order, adhering to which you guarantee the preservation of the equipment in good condition. It is important to adhere to the following sequence of actions:

Disconnecting equipment from the network, bleeding from the refrigerant system.

Disconnection of pipelines and removal of the indoor unit of the air conditioner from the wall for further removal of the bracket.

Preparation for outdoor work and securing knots and parts with safety ropes to prevent them from falling.

Removing the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, console bracket and other installed elements on the outer surface of the equipment.

Often, work on the dismantling of air conditioners is associated with the need to carry out manipulations at high altitudes. Such operations are carried out by industrial climbers with rich experience.

To find out the prices for the dismantling of air conditioners and calculate your costs, we recommend that you write to us using the feedback form.

Do-it-yourself air conditioner dismantling is the operation on which you can save money. But is it really so? The fact is that most people do not know how to do it and, as a result, they get non-working climate control equipment. Air, getting into the split system, oxidizes copper pipes, as a result of which these devices are “killed”.

For the correct removal of climate control equipment, it is necessary to perform some preparatory work, namely, to prepare the necessary tools, shipping containers for the indoor and outdoor unit of the split system. Now it's time to prepare the conditioner itself.

Preparing climate equipment for shutdown and removal

The preparation is over, now it remains to dismantle the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner.

We remove the internal and external modules

It would seem that now, when all the freon is pumped into the condensation chamber, the main pipes are disconnected from the device, it is not difficult to remove it from the wall. But many people ask: "How to remove the air conditioner from the wall." There are few difficulties with the outdoor unit of a split system, and even then if it is installed on a balcony or within reach.

With the indoor unit of the climate device, everything is much more complicated. The whole catch is that it is almost impossible for an untrained person, especially one who does not have a specialized tool, to cope with the latches of fastening the block to the mounting plate.

Important!
When disconnecting and removing the indoor unit of the split system, a particular danger arises due to the possibility of deforming the evaporator pipes, which are located in close proximity to the air conditioner mount.

The dismantling process takes place in several stages

Opening fasteners.
Removal from the mount along the guides of the indoor unit.
Remove the mount itself from the wall.
Packing it for subsequent transportation.

Advice:
If you are unsure of your abilities or you do not have the necessary tools, then it is better to leave the job of dismantling the split system to professionals.

Removing the outdoor unit of the prepared split system can be done independently only if it is located on your balcony. In all other cases, you will need professional industrial climbers, because it is mounted on the wall of the house.

Removing the climate system is not particularly difficult, but before that, you should carefully consider whether the money saved is worth the lost time and health risks when dismantling it yourself?

Greetings to all guests and readers of the Air Conditioner website. In this article we will talk about how to remove the air conditioner. It often happens that the indoor unit of a split system prevents repairs in the room. In what cases will it be necessary to remove the air conditioner, and is it possible to do without dismantling? We will also consider these issues in the article.

How to "unfasten" the indoor unit of the air conditioner from the wall:

To remove any indoor unit, you first need to “snap off” the bottom clips. Most blocks have two clips at the bottom, which I point to with various arrows or serifs. There are three main types of these clips. The first two can be difficult to determine (experience or knowledge of a particular model is required). So what are their differences:

top plate hook.

In this case, you need to push the clips upwards to release the indoor unit;

hook for the bottom plate.

Often in such cases there are additional holes (as in the photo). In this situation, the clip must be pulled down from the block. This will require a device (something like a screw cap);

clips under the decorative cover of the indoor unit.

Here, first you need to carefully remove the cover, and then everything becomes clear. Using the LG air conditioner as an example, first unscrew the two screws. After, we unhook from the sides front covers, then push it all towards us.

In any case, it is better to contact a specialist, especially if you do not know how the clips of your air conditioner are arranged. Incorrect operation may break the fasteners and the unit will not fit snugly against the wall.

In which case you do not need to remove the air conditioner

Depending on the scale of the repair, and how tightly the indoor unit fits the wall, there are several options for solving the problem.

1 case. Let's say we planned to re-glue the wallpaper, besides, the gap between the wall and the block allows us to do it neatly. Then there will be no point in dismantling the block (extra money down the drain). Here you can "snap off" the indoor unit from the plate and, without disconnecting the communications, paste the wallpaper.

2 case. If during the repair plastering and leveling of the walls will be carried out, then the dismantling of the indoor unit will be required. It is important that, after the completion of the repair work, the length of the communications is enough to install the unit back. During the repair process, it is possible (to grind and putty). Read more about removing only the indoor unit.

3 case. There are situations when the indoor unit has to be removed along with the track. This may be due to the following reasons:

if it is planned to "lower" the ceiling (the hole through the wall will be lower);
if the nuts for connecting the route to the indoor unit are inside the wall (features or installation errors);
to prevent nuts from joining inside the wall after repair;
to move the indoor unit.

In these situations, it is necessary to dismantle the air conditioner. How it is possible to dismantle the split system, read the article.

The reasons for removing the components of the split system from the place can be different - major repairs in the room, moving to a new home. If you invite a specialist to dismantle the air conditioner, then you will have to pay from 2,800 to 4,500 rubles for this service (depending on the model). But this is not the main thing - how long will the master have to wait? What if the circumstances are such that there is no time? Let's figure out how to do everything with your own hands.

The first thing to do is to make sure that the ground is not broken. An elementary precaution, nothing more.

Removing refrigerant from the indoor unit

The gas circulates in a closed circuit. Therefore, the path of its entry to the indoor unit should be blocked. To do this, close the faucet on what is outside the window (external). It is located on a copper tube (thin) suitable for it. You need a hex wrench to turn it on.
The air conditioner turns on. Mode - cooling.

A number of questions and problems may arise here:

Firstly, the system will immediately give a "refusal". Very rarely, but it happens. The solution is simple - connect the external unit directly to the outlet. Naturally, this requires at least elementary knowledge in electronics. If such re-switching is difficult for the owner, then it is not a sin to turn to a knowledgeable neighbor. There is always a way out.

Secondly, how much to “drive” the system like that? No one will give an exact answer. The running time depends on the model. By the way, service employees do not like to share this secret so as not to lose potential customers. But the analysis of all the reviews and advice on this issue allows us to conclude that within 60 seconds (± 2).

During operation of the air conditioner, the gas will be removed from the indoor unit and partly from the connecting pipe. Naturally, some losses of freon in the process of further disassembly of the system cannot be avoided, but these are already the costs of self-dismantling.

The device turns off and the tap on the second tube suitable for the outdoor unit is closed - thicker, and the first one is additionally tightened (if necessary). Everything - the refrigerant is “driven” and clogged in the condenser.

System de-energization

If the plug is plugged into the socket, then it is pulled out. In the case of connecting directly to the shield using an extension cable, the circuit breaker is turned off and all ends are disconnected.

Dismantling communications

Where to start? How convenient. The task is to remove all tubes and wires. The main difficulty is detaching from the indoor unit. If you need to “squeeze” it from the wall, you don’t need to be afraid - the case is fixed only in the upper part, on a horizontal bar.

On a note! If it is necessary to roll the tubes into a coil, then its permissible minimum diameter is 0.6 m. With tighter twisting, there is a risk of damage (flattening, breaking) of the walls.

Removing the indoor unit

There are no difficulties in this. It is enough to open the cover of the casing, and it will immediately become clear. As a rule, the block simply rises up a little, and onto itself. By the way, this is a convenient moment to, as well as filters.

outdoor unit

If all disconnections are made, then it is simply removed from the landing "nest". The difficulty is that it has a significant weight. Each model has its own setting. Perhaps help is needed. But how to work together in a window opening so as not to interfere with each other? All this needs to be thought through.

On a note! The weight of the outdoor unit can be specified by its passport. If it is lost, then there is enough information on the Internet on various systems.

If the unit is supposed to be transported and it is not known when it will be mounted again, it is advisable to close all nozzles with plugs. For example, twisted pieces of fabric, thick paper. But this must be done so that dust does not get into the channels. Otherwise, you will have to call the wizard and pay for the forced cleaning of the system.
When disconnecting tubes, wires, their ends must be marked (marked). Additionally, draw everything. It is not known when the reassembly will take place, so you should not rely on your own memory and that the marks will not be erased over time.
Please note that improper dismantling of the outdoor unit often results in refrigerant leakage. So, you need to call a specialist to download it. The work itself is not highly valued (about 650 rubles), but the gas is quite expensive. Restoring the performance of the outdoor unit is comparable to the cost of professional dismantling services. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to contact them immediately.
Care must be taken when transporting the air conditioner. The most “tender” part of the system is the vacuum pump, which is quite expensive. Plus - its installation and adjustment of the system.

And the last thing - before disassembling the air conditioning system, you should study the device of this particular model, the principle of its operation, at least in general terms. Climbing with a screwdriver and a key “blindly” is a guarantee that you will have to return the climate control device for repair.

It is as responsible to dismantle household climate equipment as it is to install it. Especially if its further use is planned, for example, when moving to another place of residence. Consider the basic rules of how to dismantle the air conditioner yourself without losing its effective performance.

Set of tools

Dismantling, as well as installation of the air conditioner, is strongly recommended to be trusted by professional installers. This largely guarantees a high-quality installation procedure, without the appearance of unpleasant consequences in both cases. But if there is no money for an expensive service, with certain skills, disassembly can be done independently.

The main point when dismantling a split system is careful, consistent observance of the basic rules that will preserve the functioning of the equipment. In many ways, special tools will be useful here that will help to disassemble with the least effort, with better quality. These include:

pipe cutter
side cutter
construction knife
Phillips screwdriver
integral screwdriver
hex socket wrenches
wrenches
adjustable wrenches
drill, screwdriver

A set of these tools is required because not many standard mounting tools will come in handy. Using the latter, it is likely to cause irreparable damage to the system, after which it will have to be changed.

How to properly dismantle the air conditioner? Safety regulations

There are certain rules, conditions that must be observed in order to protect health, equipment from breakdowns, malfunctions. Let's list them:

the cooling circuit must not be depressurized. It operates at a pressure of 15 A. With a sharp leak, there is a high probability of being hit by a very low temperature gas jet;
you can get frostbite from a jet of cold freon when it leaks;
it should be avoided when disassembling the ingress of dust, moisture into the circuit, which have a destructive effect on the system;
when transporting an outdoor unit containing freon, an explosion may occur;
during transportation, it is necessary to carefully handle the remaining pipe sections, as their damage will lead to the replacement of the entire unit;
it is forbidden to unscrew union nuts from fittings;
Care must be taken when handling the latches of the indoor unit so as not to break them.

Freon transportation

When dismantling the outdoor module, the primary task is to "pack" the freon. It is necessary to carry out this procedure with high quality, so as not to waste time and money on refueling the air conditioner. attention should be paid to the accuracy, accuracy of the transfer of refrigerant.

It is possible to reproduce with the help of a manometric manifold, or without it. This device will be able to show when a vacuum is reached in the cooling circuit. It is in this case that the second valve should be closed to “pack” the freon inside the condenser.

connect the gauge manifold to the nipple on the fitting instead of the branch pipe with the liquid of the cooling circuit (it is thinner compared to the second one, through which gas freon passes);
if the device is absent, it is necessary to start from the next point;
put the split system on cooling mode, determining the lowest temperature that the equipment is capable of according to its technical characteristics (you need to find out in the operating instructions). So the unit works for at least 10 minutes;
close the valve of the liquid pipe (thinner. It is closed with a hex key under the protective cap);
on the gauge manifold, watch the pointer until it reaches the vacuum level. If there is no pressure gauge, it is necessary to note 1 minute on the clock;
after the time has elapsed / the desired indicator is reached on the device, close the gas pipe valve with a hex wrench;
turn off the air conditioner;
put back the protective caps.

The difficult task of moving the refrigerant can become more difficult in the cold season, when the air conditioner cannot be turned on. The compressor oil thickens, its smooth operation is impossible. If the equipment is equipped with a "winter set" that allows the equipment to operate for cooling even at sub-zero temperatures, the problem is easily solved by starting the heating devices located in the compressor crankcase and drainage. After 10 minutes of warming up, you can start the climate system for cooling and pump freon, following the recommendations described above.

If there is no winter heating system, you can use a manometric station to collect the refrigerant. It is connected in the same way as the collector. Freon is distilled there for transportation.

Removing the outdoor unit. Is it possible to do it yourself?

After "packing" the coolant, you can proceed to remove the outdoor module from the mounts. How to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands:

disconnect the outdoor unit from the mains;
if further use of the pipes is planned, they are unscrewed. Open fittings must be reliably protected from dust and moisture. In the case when reuse is not expected, copper pipes are cut off, leaving 15-20 cm of each branch from the fasteners. The ends are minted with a vice from moisture, debris;
when it is known that the air conditioner will not be used for a long time, it is recommended to fill the remaining pipes with nitrogen, thereby displacing the air, and clog it. This will prevent the oxidative reaction of the metal with atmospheric oxygen;
remove the thermal insulation from the freon circuit;
disconnect the outdoor unit from the electrical cable by removing the pre-marked terminals;
dismantle the nuts holding the module on the brackets, remove the module. It is recommended to do it together with an assistant, because the block is heavy, there is a high probability of dropping it;
place in a special box with foam or other filler to avoid mechanical damage to the body, pipe bends;
transport, store only in an upright position.

How to dismantle the indoor unit of a split system?

The indoor unit of the air conditioner is removed from the mounts only after dismantling the outdoor unit. Care must also be taken here, especially with the evaporator clamps of the equipment itself. If these elements are damaged, the subsequently re-installed unit will vibrate during operation, which will cause it to break.

How to dismantle the air conditioner yourself:

remove the front panel so that you can get to the latches;
disconnect the pipeline of the cooling circuit;
turn off the power supply;
remove the evaporator (carefully unfasten the latches closed by the lid)
press the clamps of the indoor unit, remove it from the guides;
dismantle the plate on which the indoor unit was attached;
remove the cooling circuit pipeline from the wall gates;
remove the drain pipe;
dismantle the decorative box.

Consequences of incorrect dismantling

Here are some unpleasant consequences of inaccurate dismantling of the split system:

depressurization of the cooling circuit, as a result - freon leakage. When installing equipment again, you will have to pay for refueling the system with coolant;
mechanical damage to the body of the outdoor unit, outdoor module, any parts, freon pipes, especially if they lead to depressurization of the circuit;
clogging of the cooling circuit with dust, debris, moisture ingress. Dust will invariably affect the operation of the compressor, it will soon have to be replaced due to a malfunction. Moisture is dangerous because it will oxidize the inner surface of the copper freon path, the metal will begin to corrode, which will completely disable the system;
fall of the outdoor unit from a height. It doesn't matter how high it was fixed - a fall will result in its complete replacement anyway.

How to properly dismantle the split system will tell the video

When changing residence, they often carry an air conditioner with them, after all, the equipment is expensive. To do this without loss, it is strongly recommended to contact professional installers who will do everything correctly, efficiently. If the disassembly of the air conditioner is planned on its own, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules for dismantling, while doing everything as accurately, clearly, and smoothly as possible.