Top Air Conditioning Tips
- Switch Off The Electric
- Clean Up Around The Unit
- Clean The Fins
- Straighten the Fins
- Clean The Coils
- Limit Algae Growth and Entry of Termites
- Change Air Filter
If you want your air conditioner to last long and serve you faithfully, it might be time to look into effective techniques for home air conditioner maintenance. After all, you only get a technician to tune up your air conditioner once or twice a year, but apart from that, you’re on your own! So how can you get your own home air conditioner maintenance sorted?
Air Conditioner Maintenance Top Tips
For an air conditioner, one of the best ways to prevent an early replacement which may put you out of pocket is to carry out your own maintenance. Getting someone in for home air conditioner maintenance is also a costly affair and one you should only splash out on annually or bi-annually. The rest of the time, it’s easy to look into how you can do it yourself!
7 Steps to Home Air Conditioner Maintenance
Let’s take a look at how you can jump in and do some regular air conditioner maintenance at home!
Step 1: Shut Down The Electricity
When working with any electrical device or system, it’s best to switch off the electricity first. This means switching off the power at the exterior shut-off box which may be near the unit. After this, you should open up the circuit box and switch off from the mains, so there’s no electricity entering the house. When the power is on, doing any sort of air conditioner maintenance becomes a dangerous affair, especially when there are moving parts involved.
Step 2: Clean Up All The Debris Inside The Unit
For home air conditioner maintenance, you have to ensure that all debris in the outer unit is cleaned up properly so the air conditioner can work efficiently. To do this, grab a screwdriver and remove the bolts fastening the outer unit cage. Lift the grill away from the unit and use a soft-bristle vacuum to remove all the dirt and other debris such as leaves and dead insects.
Step 3: Cleaning the Fins
An air conditioner outer unit has fins which are used to disperse heat away from the air conditioner. These fins tend to get dirty over time, with small objects and dirt getting lodged in them. To ensure your air conditioner is running at maximum efficiency, it’s necessary to clean the fins. You can do this if you’re doing your own home air conditioner maintenance by using a soft-bristle brush powerful vacuum.
This removes all outside dirt and debris. To clean the fins from the inside, you can opt to spray water gently through the fins to remove any dirt which has built-up towards the insides of the fins. If you notice that nothing is working to remove the dirt (the dirt build-up may be too big), you can look for a commercial fin cleaner which is available in most hardware shops.
Step 4: Straightening the Fins
Air conditioner fins are quite delicate, which means it’s easy to bend them. Since they’re located in the outdoor unit, you may find the fins getting bent quite a bit. Straight fins increase air-flow thus dispersing heat while bent fins reduce air flow, which means your air conditioner is not running at full efficiency. A butter knife works to straighten the fins, but this is a delicate task which means it’s best not to hurry though it. When straightening the fins, watch out for the internal tubing just under the fins.
Step 5: Cleaning The Evaporator Coil
For home air conditioner maintenance, one of the biggest power savers is the evaporator coil. When the evaporator coil is clean, it works efficiently thus increasing the efficiency of the air conditioner. The evaporator coil can be cleaned easily by first dusting off the coil, then using a no-rinse coil cleaner spray which is available at most hardware stores.
Step 6: Limiting Algae Growth and Entry of Termites
The air conditioner drainage tends to get a lot of algae growth because of the stagnant water conditions. To prevent this, pour a mixture of bleach and water into the air conditioner drain pan so it can drain into the drainage field and thus prevent algae growth as well as termites from coming too close to your home!
Step 7: Change Your Air Filter
The Air filter on the air conditioning unit needs to be changed at least twice a year. While you may be doing your own home air conditioner maintenance, it might be best to call in the professionals for this one. So when you have your bi-annual air conditioning tune up due, you can call in a technician who will check the state of the filter and inform you if there’s a need for change. They will even advice you on the type of air filter to buy and install.
Once all this is done and your home air conditioner maintenance is done, it’s time to switch on the power and enjoy your clean, all-improved air conditioner!