Repair of an Elios wall-mounted heat pump in Ville-Marie (Montreal): air return restored, comfort restored

In a condo in Ville-Marie , our AirGreen team intervened to repair an Elios wall-mounted heat pump (mini-split type). On site, the indoor unit exhibited a very common problem in residential use: the filters were open and visibly clogged , which quickly leads to a drop in performance, noise, odors, and sometimes even drainage problems.

Context: when a mural no longer “pushes” the air like it used to

The customer contacted us regarding symptoms typical of a wall unit that is starting to malfunction:

• Lower airflow even at high speed

• It seems as if the machine is "running" but is cooling/heating less.

• Odors at startup (often related to humidity and dust)

• Uneven comfort: some areas of the condo remain cooler/warmer than others

In an urban environment like Ville-Marie (fine dust, traffic, construction sites, drier air in winter), the filters and the exchanger can become clogged faster than you might think.

Machine type and model

• Type : wall-mounted heat pump (indoor wall unit / mini-split)

• Brand : Elios (brand name provided manually — used as a reference)

• Model : not visible in the photo; we are treating the intervention as a recent Elios inverter wall-mounted heat pump , standard residential configuration (wall unit + outdoor unit)

AirGreen Diagnostic: we don't clean "at random", we check everything

Before proceeding with the repair, we apply a simple but complete sequence:

1. Visual inspection of the indoor unit

   • Filters (condition, dust, deformation)

   • Shutters, ventilation turbine, traces of dampness

   • General condition of the facade and air intakes

2. Operating measures

   • Return air temperature vs. supply air temperature

   • Stability of heating/cooling mode

   • Listening for noises (turbine, vibration, clicking)

3. Drainage check

   • Condensate tray, slope, drainage

   • Beginning of blockage (mud, biofilm) which may cause dripping or overflows

4. Vehicle inspection (if necessary, depending on symptoms)

   • Pressures and refrigeration behavior

   • Status of connections, sensors, communication (if error code or abnormal cycles)

Problem identified: clogged filtration + internal accumulation (restricted airflow)

In this case, the main cause was clear: the filters were heavily clogged . When air circulation is poor:

• The evaporator gets dirty faster.

• the turbine force (noise + wear),

• Heat exchange decreases (fewer actual BTUs delivered),

• and in air conditioning, excessive condensation and drainage problems can be encouraged.

In other words: the machine was not “broken” in the electrical sense, it was blocked by maintenance — and that is precisely the type of intervention where professional work makes a big difference.

Repair: complete cleaning and restoration to performance

1) Securing and preparing

We cut off the power supply as needed, protect the wall and floor (condo = clean finish required), then we dismantle access to critical areas without forcing the plastics.

2) Filter cleaning (with reshaping)

• Initial dusting

• Clean with lukewarm water (and mild detergent if necessary)

• Drying and inspection of the mesh (a deformed filter allows dust to pass through and clogs the heat exchanger)

3) Cleaning of the heat exchanger and the return area

We clean the internal heat exchanger using a suitable method (specialized product and controlled rinsing) in order to eliminate:

• stuck dust,

• greasy deposits,

• beginning of biofilm (source of odors).

4) Drainage control and cleaning

• Condensate tray check

• Unblocking/flushing the line if necessary

• Flow test to confirm that the water drains properly

5) Final checks

• Elios Mural Restart

• Measurement of airflow and temperature difference

• Stability validation (no erratic cycling, no abnormal noise, no persistent odor)

Results: restored comfort and quieter operation

After the procedure:

• Significantly improved airflow (the room returns to its normal temperature faster)

• Improved heating/cooling efficiency : the machine works less "in a vacuum"

• Odor reduction at startup

• Smoother operation: less resistance on the ventilation side = less noise and less wear.

For the customer, the effect is immediate: a comfortable condo is restored, without having to compensate by increasing the speed to the maximum or leaving the device running for too long.

Our recommendations (Ville-Marie/condos specific)

• Filter cleaning: ideally every 4 to 6 weeks during periods of intensive use

• Complete maintenance: once a year , especially before summer (air conditioning) or before winter (heating)

• If you notice: reduced flow, odor, droplets, turbine noise… don’t wait: a clogged wall can eventually generate secondary problems (drainage, ice, premature wear).