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Home Care Columns

Guides for common decisions before requesting home services. Check what to prepare before booking aircon, move-out, or electrical help.

Last updated: July 6, 2026 / Scope: home service pre-booking guides / Publisher: Tokai Home Everything

A service technician checking an air conditioner filter in spring

Updated: 2026-08-04

When is the best time to clean an air conditioner? Odor, mold, and weak airflow signs

A practical guide to timing air conditioner cleaning before summer or winter, including self-cleaning units.

A technician inspecting the internal cleaning unit of a self-cleaning air conditioner

Updated: 2026-08-04

Do self-cleaning air conditioners still need professional cleaning?

What self-cleaning functions do and do not clean, plus what photos to prepare before requesting service.

A technician using a detector to inspect an outdoor-unit flare connection

Updated: 2026-08-04

Air conditioner not cooling? A gas leak case at the flare connection

A real-style repair guide for weak cooling caused by a refrigerant leak at the flared pipe connection.

Home-service workers planning moving and cleaning tasks in an apartment

Updated: 2026-08-04

What should you arrange before moving out? Cleaning, disposal, and aircon removal order

A move-out checklist for arranging cleaning, waste removal, moving support, and air conditioner work in the right order.

A qualified electrician safely testing a wall outlet in a home

Updated: 2026-08-04

Is outlet installation or lighting replacement safe to DIY? When to call an electrician

A simple safety guide for separating what you can check yourself from electrical work that needs a qualified technician.

A service technician checking indoor and outdoor air conditioner installation locations

Updated: 2026-08-04

Air conditioner installation checklist: outlet, piping hole, and outdoor-unit space

Check power, clearances, piping, drainage, outdoor-unit airflow, and property rules before buying or installing a split air conditioner.

A transparent check valve installed along an outdoor air-conditioner drain hose

Updated: 2026-08-04

Midori Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Nagoya Midori Ward: aircon water leak caused by a clogged drain

A case in Nagoya's Midori Ward where an indoor aircon unit leaked because debris blocked a check valve installed along the outdoor condensate drain hose.

A residential aircon outdoor unit with clear airflow space under a sunshade on a hot summer day

Updated: 2026-08-14

Should you spray water on an aircon outdoor unit? Safer checks behind a viral heatwave tip

A viral social-media tip suggests cooling an outdoor unit with water. Here is what manufacturers warn against and what you can check safely instead.

Illustrative summer-night bedroom with a wall-mounted air conditioner running while a person sleeps

Updated: 2026-08-04

Sleep timer or all night? How to run an air conditioner on hot summer nights

Manufacturer tests on room temperature, WBGT, and electricity use help explain when an overnight setting may be more practical than a sleep timer.

Updated: 2026-08-04

Water leaking from an indoor aircon unit: what to check before calling for help

A practical order for stopping the unit safely, checking the drain route from the outside, and sharing useful photos before arranging service.

A homeowner checking an air conditioner model label and symptoms before requesting repair

Updated: 2026-08-04

Before booking air conditioner repair: checks, estimates, and avoiding billing trouble

A practical checklist for recording symptoms, checking estimates, confirming completed work, and understanding Japan's 2027 efficiency standard.

Full wall-mounted indoor air-conditioner with the front cover removed and the right-side piping area visible

Updated: 2026-08-04

Minami Ward, Nagoya, Aichi

Nagoya Minami Ward: indoor wall leak caused by missing putty around an aircon pipe hole

A case in Nagoya's Minami Ward where water appeared from the interior wall rather than the aircon unit. Neither side of the wall penetration had been sealed, allowing humid air to enter and condense around the cold piping.