Regular air conditioner maintenance is very important for making our homes a comfortable place to live in. Neglecting this basic routine could cost us more energy consumption and thus higher utility bills. Without proper maintenance, air conditioners could have reduced cooling action, shortened appliance life, and have costlier repair expenses in the future.
Air Conditioner Maintenance
To maintain your air conditioner unit at home, here are some air conditioner maintenance tips.
First, air filters should be the top priority in-home air conditioner maintenance routine which must be checked monthly especially in the hottest period of the year. Air conditioning units tend to fill the air filter faster at times when it is working continuously such as the summertime. Clogged air filters require your air conditioning unit to work harder so that you can still experience that cool air inside your home. As a result, your appliance utilizes more energy and tends to make the air conditioner system work harder.
Some filters are designed to be cleaned and reused while some must be replaced altogether. To inspect the air filter, take the filter out, and hold it against the light. If you cannot see much light passing through it, then it is time to clean or have it replaced.
Second, gather the air conditioner maintenance checklist. For the outdoors, you must find the location of the air conditioning unit and inspect it. This is where the condensers are placed. You will need some tools such as goggles, garden hose (preferably with a nozzle), toothbrush, and pruning snips. Place these tools nearby.
Ensure that the power to the air conditioning system is off. Remove any dirt, soil, or leaves that obstruct the appliance. Use the pruning snips (or shears) to get rid of any unwanted plants that grow around this appliance. For a good supply of airflow, provide a clearance of at least 2 feet from the air conditioning system.
Wear your safety goggles and spray the coils with the garden hose in a downward manner so that it will loosen stuck debris toward the ground. Use a toothbrush to sweep the hard to remove dirt from the coils. Do not use too much force on the coils when removing the debris because they are very fragile.
Third, the coil fins surrounding the condenser coils must be clear from debris as well. The coil fins can be vacuumed to remove dirt and debris. Like the condenser coils, the coil fins get easily damaged. Ensure that the fins are straight using a small butter knife.
Fourth, find the condensate drain line inside your home. This area should always be clean and the drain line clean. From time to time, stick a stiff wire through the drain channel to remove sources of clogging. Doing this can help your air conditioning unit reduce the humidity indoors and avoid the production of excess moisture that could stain the wall or carpet.
Fifth, make sure that the seals between the air conditioner and the window frame are in contact. Cool air will escape outside if the seals are damaged, usually by moisture.
Lastly, it’s a great preventative maintenance step to cover the air conditioning unit when not in use to protect it from debris or winter weather.
DIY air conditioning maintenance is the best preventive measure to prolong the life span of our air conditioning systems. Performing air conditioning maintenance allows us to spend more time with our family inside our homes instead of spending more money on service calls.
