Where District 2 is now, and where we take gas top-up bookings
Ho Chi Minh City replaced its districts with wards, the local administrative units, on 1 July 2025 under Resolution 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15. The former District 2 is now three wards: An Khanh, Binh Trung and Cat Lai, with the old An Phu ward divided between the first two. People still say District 2, and so do we; give your address in either form.
Our office is at 72 Nguyen Co Thach in Sala, inside An Khanh ward. Visits in An Khanh and Binh Trung are scheduled every day between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM, weekends included.
- An Khanh ward — regular service
- Thu Thiem, An Loi Dong, Thao Dien, the old An Khanh ward and part of An Phu. Towers: Masteri Thao Dien, Xi Riverview Palace, Masteri An Phu, The Metropole Thu Thiem, Empire City and the Sala buildings (Sarimi, Sarica, Sarina, Sadora). Low-rise: the Saroma villas, SariTown and the villa compounds of Thao Dien.
- Binh Trung ward — regular service
- Binh Trung Dong, Binh Trung Tay and the remainder of An Phu: Diamond Island, Estella Heights, Lakeview City, Palm City, and The Global City with its SOHO townhouses.
- Cat Lai ward — by arrangement
- Formerly Thanh My Loi and Cat Lai, with Vista Verde and Feliz en Vista. Message us first so that we can confirm a time slot.
Weak cooling in a riverside apartment: low gas, or a unit that needs cleaning?
Slow cooling has two common causes that feel alike from the sofa: too little refrigerant, called gas in everyday use, or dirt. In District 2, rule out dirt first. Apartments beside the Saigon River in Thao Dien, Thu Thiem and Sala sit in damp air through the rainy season, May to November, and mould settles on the indoor coil and drain pan. Thu Thiem, Sala and The Global City are still being built, and fine construction dust can block a filter within weeks.
With too little air crossing the coil, a unit cools weakly and may ice up, exactly as it does when short of gas. We conclude only once the unit is clean and the pressure measured.
| What you notice | More likely |
|---|---|
| Weak airflow and a dusty filter | Dirt. Reduced airflow is the usual sign of a blocked filter and coil. |
| Strong airflow that is not cold | Unclear without a reading: low gas, or a dirty outdoor unit that cannot shed its heat. |
| Ice on the indoor coil | Either one. If the ice returns after a thorough clean, low gas becomes the likelier cause. |
| Guide: why an aircon ices up | How to thaw the unit safely and how to tell dirt and poor airflow from low gas. |
| Aircon cleaning in District 2 | Our cleaning service for the area; the gas pressure of every unit is checked free at each clean. |
When a top-up is really needed: three District 2 situations
Gas circulates in a sealed loop between the indoor unit, the compressor and the outdoor unit. A sound installation does not use it up, so no refill is due on a schedule. A top-up arises only when the measured pressure is below the reference level for that gas, usually in one of these situations.
- A newly handed-over apartment
- Handovers continue in Thu Thiem, Sala and The Global City. A unit fitted during the interior works may have a pipe run longer than the original installation with no matching top-up, and its coil may carry plaster or wood dust. Clean first, then measure.
- A furnished rental in Thao Dien or An Phu
- A new tenant rarely knows whether a unit has been taken down, moved or repaired on the gas side. Have the pressure measured at the first clean; the reading in the Up Report becomes the reference for tenant and landlord alike.
- Pressure that falls month by month
- A small leak at a joint, at the service valve or in the pipework. A top-up is temporary; the repair belongs to a repair service.
How the pressure is measured and the gas added
Measuring and topping up are both done at the service valve, which is usually on the outdoor unit. In District 2 high-rises the outdoor unit normally sits on a service balcony, and the specialist works there only from a safe position inside the railing. Where access equipment would be needed, we explain the plan first and go ahead only with your approval.
- The gauge is connected once the unit is running steadily in cooling mode. During a cleaning visit this happens after the indoor and outdoor units are clean, so that the reading reflects the gas and not the dust.
- The reading is compared with the gas type on the rating label and with the outlet-air temperature, then shown to you.
- Within the reference range, the reading is recorded and no gas is added. If it is low, you receive a quote and decide.
- Only the gas named on the label goes in, R32 or R410A, never a mix. The pressure is measured again, the unit is test-run and the outlet temperature checked.
- A wall-mounted unit is usually topped up in the same visit; the time depends on the amount missing and where the outdoor unit sits.
What a gas top-up costs in District 2: the published price and examples
The published price is from 250,000 VND per unit for R32 or R410A in a wall-mounted unit up to 2 HP. It is quoted before any gas goes in and applies only when the reading is low; measuring during an aircon cleaning visit is free. The examples add figures from the current price list, and the cleaning amounts include the listed 10% reduction from the 3rd unit in one visit.
- You pay after the walk-through, by bank transfer or cash. Invoices are issued on request under Vietnamese regulations, to individuals and companies.
| Case | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cleaning and a top-up for the same 1–1.5 HP unit | Cleaning 250,000 VND, top-up from 250,000 VND: from 500,000 VND for that unit. |
| Two-bedroom apartment, three 1–1.5 HP wall units, all three read normal | 725,000 VND for the cleaning; nothing for gas. |
| Three-bedroom apartment, three 1–1.5 HP units and a 2 HP living-room unit, two need gas | 1,000,000 VND for the cleaning plus two top-ups: from 1,500,000 VND. |
| Cassettes in a penthouse or duplex; floor-standing and ducted units in a villa; anything above 2 HP; other gases such as R22 | Quoted after measuring and reading the rating label, because the gas needed varies widely with the unit's capacity and the length of the pipe run. |
Which gas, and what we will not do
The gas type is printed on the rating label of the outdoor or indoor unit. Recent home units commonly use R32 or R410A and some older ones R22; the specialist reads each label and adds only that gas. Do not refill a unit yourself from a bought cylinder: the job needs a gauge and safe handling at the service valve, and R32 is mildly flammable.
UpClean cleans air conditioners and does not repair them: we do not trace or seal leaks or replace parts. When a low reading comes with an oil mark at a joint, unusual frost, or pressure that is low again since the last reading, the specialist records it in the Up Report and advises you to contact a repair service or the manufacturer's service centre. You may still choose a temporary top-up, knowing the added gas may go on escaping until the leak is dealt with. If you rent, forward the report to your landlord.
- Warranty
- When a top-up is done together with aircon cleaning, the 90-day warranty covers water leaks, unusual noise or weaker cooling caused by the cleaning. Refrigerant leaks, component faults and pre-existing installation faults are not covered.
Building rules and booking, with notes for international residents
Most premium apartment buildings in District 2 set rules for outside staff: registration with building management beforehand, ID shown at the lobby, the service lift for equipment and fixed working hours, with weekend limits in some. A top-up also requires the specialist to reach the outdoor unit, so send a photo of the service balcony, or of wherever that unit sits, with your building and unit number.
- Call or message 0968 726 135 (phone, WhatsApp or Zalo) with the number and type of units and whether you want cleaning with a gas check or a top-up alone.
- You receive the price in advance, a written confirmation, and the specialist's name and photo for registering the visit with building management.
- English
- Enquiries, quotes, confirmations and the Up Report, readings included, can all be in English. For an English-speaking specialist at your home, note it when you book; if we cannot arrange one, we say so beforehand and support you by phone or message.
- If you are out
- Leave a key with building management, reception or family; only the assigned specialist handles it and keys are never copied. The reading and quote reach you by message, and gas is added only once you reply.
- A schedule for the whole year
- Homes with several units can book the year's cleans in advance, with the gas pressure measured at every visit.
What does UpClean's aircon gas top-up include?
- Pressure check with a gauge while the unit is running
- Gas type confirmed from the unit's rating label
- Results explained and a top-up quoted before any work
- Top-up with the correct gas only — never mixed
- Pressure re-checked, test run and outlet temperature check
- Suspected leaks noted so you can contact a repair service
- Up Report with before-and-after readings
Written by the UpClean technical team, reviewed by Trần Nguyễn Hữu Nhật — Founder of UpClean.
