The short answer
An old split system has to be taken out by a qualified engineer, who recovers the refrigerant before anything is disconnected. The units then go for recycling as electrical waste, and the holes and fixings left behind need making good.
On this page
Taking out an air conditioner is more involved than unplugging an appliance. A split system holds refrigerant in a sealed circuit, contains materials worth recovering, and is fixed to the building. Done properly, removal protects the climate, keeps the work within the rules, and leaves your walls in good order.
Why it isn't a DIY job
The refrigerant is the main reason. Cutting or undoing the pipes of a split system releases it, and refrigerant must never be released into the air. In Great Britain, anyone dismantling equipment that contains F-gas refrigerants needs the right F-gas qualification, and the business doing the work needs a company F-gas certificate. F-gas rules for homeowners explains more.
There are other hazards too. The electrical supply has to be isolated safely, and outdoor units are heavy and often mounted high on a wall.
How an engineer takes out a split system
The usual sequence is:
- Check the system. The engineer identifies the refrigerant from the rating plate and checks how the system is wired.
- Recover the refrigerant. For a system being scrapped, it's removed with a recovery machine into a cylinder made for the purpose. (Pumping the refrigerant down into the outdoor unit is a technique used when a unit is being moved to be used again.)
- Isolate the electrics. The power is switched off and made safe before any cables are disconnected.
- Disconnect and remove. The pipes, cable, drain and both units come down, along with brackets or stands.
- Make good. Holes through the wall are filled and sealed, and fixings removed or filled.
Recovered refrigerant goes to be cleaned for reuse or destroyed. Engineers usually record the type and amount they recover.
Recycling the units
Once the refrigerant is out, the units count as waste electrical and electronic equipment. They contain copper, aluminium and steel that can be recycled, along with circuit boards and compressor oil that need proper treatment. They shouldn't go in general waste or a skip.
| Part | What happens to it |
|---|---|
| Refrigerant | Recovered, then cleaned for reuse or destroyed |
| Indoor and outdoor units | Recycled as electrical waste |
| Copper pipe | Recycled as metal |
| Brackets and covers | Recycled where possible |
An engineer removing a system will often take the units away for recycling. Ask about this before the work is booked.
Portable air conditioners contain refrigerant too. Many household waste recycling centres accept them alongside fridges and freezers, but check with your local council first.
If the system is being replaced
When an old system is replaced, removing it is usually part of the same job. It's sensible to ask:
- whether the existing pipework, cable or holes can be reused, or whether new ones are better, which is often the case when the refrigerant changes, as older refrigerants: R22 and R410A explains;
- whether the quote covers recovering the refrigerant and taking the old units away;
- whether the new outdoor unit will go in the same place, which affects how much making good is needed.
Paperwork to keep
Keep any documents the engineer gives you about the removal and the refrigerant they recovered. If you sell your home, or a buyer asks about a unit that was taken out, they show the work was done properly. Selling a home with air conditioning covers the paperwork buyers tend to ask about.
Related guides
- Older refrigerants: R22 and R410AR22 damages the ozone layer and can no longer be used to service equipment, so a leaking R22 system usually means replacement. R410A is still widely used and can be serviced, but its high global warming potential means most new systems use R32.
- F-gas rules for homeownersF-gas rules in Great Britain require anyone installing, servicing or removing a split system to hold the right qualification, and ban releasing refrigerant. A typical home system is well below the size that needs mandatory leak checks.
- Why installation needs a certified engineerA split system is joined into a sealed refrigerant circuit on site, and in Great Britain anyone doing that work needs the right F-gas qualification, with the business holding a company F-gas certificate. Poor work can cause leaks, damage and safety problems.
- How long air conditioning lastsA well-installed, regularly serviced wall-mounted system typically lasts around 10 to 15 years, and some keep going longer. How long yours lasts depends on installation quality, how hard it works, where the outdoor unit sits and how it's looked after.