Summer is approaching fast, and it is time that you pay attention to the air conditioner in your house. The air conditioner needs proper maintenance on a regular basis for normal airflow and condensation, or it will result in reduced cooling or malfunction. In case you want to know how you should clean your air conditioner for its appropriate maintenance, here are some tips and guidelines that you can follow.
Unplug the Air Conditioner
The first thing you need to do for cleaning your air conditioner is to disconnect the unit from power. It will prevent any kind of electrical mishap while cleaning the air conditioner, especially while cleaning the area of the condenser coils and compressor.
Remove the Filters and Bezels
The next thing you need to do is remove the filters that cover the condenser and cooling coils. Some of the models have front covers or bezels that you have to remove for accessing the coils for cleaning purpose. It is important as they get clogged with dust and carbon over a period which reduces its airflow, affecting its performance.
Clean the Filters
Once you have removed the filters, give them a good wash with water to clean out the dirt deposited on them. The filters at times cause some strange odors if not cleaned for a prolonged time. In such cases, you can wash the filters with a light detergent or liquid soap to remove the smell from the filters.
Clean the Coils
Cleaning the condenser is necessary for the maintenance of your air conditioner. There is always some deposition of dirt and debris on the coil and fins which affects its heat absorbing capacity which in turn decreases cooling process of the air conditioner. Hence it is imperative to clean up the evaporator coil of the AC. For that, you can use a foam type cleaning agent which you will get at the local hardware store. It will not only clean the condenser coils but will also eradicate the odor from deposits of mold, dirt, cigarette and other things.
Clean Outside Unit
Once you have done the cleaning of your filters and coils, it is time to focus on the outside unit of the air conditioner as that is where the compressor is located. The external unit is fully covered in a metal box. You can open the box with a tool and clean the loose debris and dirt on the condenser coils with the help of a hose spray.
10 to 15 minutes later, apply some cleaning foam on the coil and bonds on the coils and rinse the coil again with the hose. It will remove the remaining muck and dirt on the coils. By doing this, the condenser coils of the external units will work efficiently thereby giving effective cooling.
Unclog the Rear Drain
Check the drainage line of the air condition as well while carrying out the maintenance work of the AC. In case the drain gets clogged, the water that accumulated in the AC will not be able to get out and start dripping inside the room. If it finds no outlet it will also increase the humidity of the room.
Make A Test Run
Once you have done all the things above, run the air conditioner by adjusting the temperature to the coldest. It will help to see whether the air conditioner is cooling appropriately or not.
Call for Professional Help
If your air conditioner is not working efficiently even after your DIY maintenance methods, then it is time to call for professional help. Once you hire a professional for air conditioner service, see that the technician checks on the following things on your system:
- The amount of refrigerant gas in the unit
- Test for any leakage in the unit
- The ducts and seals of the air conditioner
- Cross check the heating and cooling sequence of the system
- Functioning of the compressor
- The airflow through the condenser coil
- Test the electrical connections and terminals of the appliance
- The accuracy of the thermostat.
Summary
These simple steps given above will surely help in keeping your air conditioner clean and make it perform efficiently. Dirty and clogged AC unit will not be able to cool properly and consume more power as well. If cleaning methods done at home is not sufficient, then it is better to take professional help for AC servicing. Hence these are some of the simple tips that you can use for maintenance of your air conditioner.