In Khobar most ACs are in flats, with the outdoor units on balconies or on the building's outside wall. Near the sea they face salty air that corrodes the fins, and the high humidity makes a lot of water that needs draining properly. Here are the quick checks, prices by AC size, and the questions that matter when you live in a flat.
Switch the AC off before you touch the filter. Don't lean over the balcony edge or open the outdoor unit.
Rinse it with water and let it dry completely. In Khobar's humidity a damp filter starts to smell.
Look at the drain pipe: does it run somewhere sensible, or drip onto the balcony, the street or the neighbours?
On cool, temperature below the room's, and no timer.
If the AC is completely dead, check its breaker on your flat's board. Switch it back on once only.
And what usually causes them. The technician will confirm.
Units facing the sea or on open balconies get salty air. The fins corrode and cooling drops. Washing the outdoor unit regularly makes it last longer.
The drain pipe is too short, blocked, or not connected properly. Ask the technician to run it somewhere suitable, so there's no trouble with the neighbours or the building.
Window ACs are common in older buildings. Noise is usually a fan or a loose part; dripping is usually the wrong tilt or a blocked drain.
Mould on the indoor coil. It needs a deep clean with sanitising, not just the filter.
A dirty filter, a blocked coil, or low refrigerant, which means a leak.
Don't keep switching the breaker back on. Have a technician check the compressor and connections.
Tell the technician the type and size (in tons or horsepower) before they come. The price usually depends on size.
Outdoor unit on the balcony or the building's outside wall.
Common in older buildings in Ath Thuqbah and Al Khobar Ash Shamaliyah.
A full clean before the heat, and an outdoor unit wash after summer, especially near the sea.
In summer, and let it dry completely before you put it back.
New flat? Have the ACs cleaned before you move in; you don't know when they were last done.
Some buildings need permission for a technician to go on the roof or work on the outside wall.
Ask before they start. A good technician won't mind.
Tell them each AC's size and ask for a clear price for each.
Important in Khobar because of the sea air.
If it drips on the neighbours, ask how much it costs to extend the pipe.
Topping up without fixing the leak won't last.
On the work and the parts, in writing on WhatsApp.
Especially if the unit is on the outside wall. Look at photos of their work.
One sign on its own doesn't prove anything, but take care if you see them.
Onto the street or the neighbours. That causes you problems with the building.
No harness or ropes. Don't let them take the risk, and don't take the responsibility yourself.
The leak hasn't been fixed.
Keep the money until you've tested the AC.
Company prices for Khobar and Dammam, by AC size. Independent technicians are sometimes cheaper. Use them to spot a quote that's way off, not as fixed prices.
| Service | Rough price |
|---|---|
| Cleaning a 1 hp split (about 1 ton) | SAR 120 – 150 |
| Cleaning a 1.5 hp split | SAR 150 – 200 |
| Cleaning a 2 hp split | SAR 200 – 250 |
| Cleaning a 1 hp window AC | SAR 100 – 120 |
| Gas top-up for a window AC | SAR 150 – 250 |
| Fitting a split (pipes already in place) | From SAR 100 |
💡 A real Dammam/Khobar example (September 2026): cleaning more than 10 split ACs inside and out, with the drains, came to SAR 300 for all. The more units, the lower the price per AC.
🧾 Compare like with like: does the price include washing the outdoor unit and clearing the drain?
A rough guide from Al Khobar and Dammam sources (November 2026): a price table by size from an AC cleaning company serving Dammam and Al Khobar, and a real Dammam/Khobar customer job with its price. The final price is agreed between you and the technician. Laqeeni doesn't set prices or take commission.
Ask a technician to extend the drain pipe somewhere suitable (such as the balcony drain), or clear it if it's blocked. It's usually a simple, cheap fix.
If it's near the sea, the salty air corrodes the fins. Regular washing with plain water makes it last longer.
No. Laqeeni is a directory that connects you with the technician directly. You agree and pay between you.
Last updated: October 2026
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