Recommendations To Take Care Of Your Home Air Conditioner
Some people may use their window air conditioner season after season not even realizing it needs to be cleaned and maintained to ensure its continued efficiency. If you do this, after a while, your air conditioner will eventually become more inefficient and stop working from too much build-up and wear and you will need to replace it with a new unit. Here are some professional recommendations to help you take care of your air conditioner to make sure it lasts for many seasons.
Clean In And Around Your Compressor Unit
Your air conditioner compressor unit on a central air system sits outside your home and needs to be cleaned of debris from its interior and exterior. Because this part of your cooler is exposed to the elements, you need to clean debris and leaves from its exterior and inside the blower fan. Use a shop vacuum to suck debris out of the interior of the unit after safely removing the fan cover from its top. Make sure you trim bushes, grasses, and weeds from around the outside of your compressor, especially in the spring before you turn on the unit.
Prepare For Winter
When the weather starts to cool off and you no longer need to run your air conditioner during the day, you can shut your unit off and prepare it for winter storage. If you have a window unit you can remove the unit from your window and wipe its surface clean. Spray the fins clear of any debris collection and let it air dry. Place it into a storage area upright so the coolant does not settle improperly in the system. this can cause problems for it later on when you bring it out of storage in the spring.
With a central air conditioner system, you need to shut it off and clean out or replace its filter. Drain and clean out the system's dehumidifier to prevent mold and mildew growth. To protect it during the winter and its off-season, cover the unit with an air conditioner protector and place a piece of plywood over the top of the unit to protect it from icicles that might fall from your roof's overhang edge.
Arrange For Professional Services
Hiring a professional HVAC technician in the spring is a great way to keep your air conditioner cleaned out and running efficiently. They will complete a tune-up to check such areas as the motor and belts, and the electrical wiring. They can also clean your air conditioner evaporator and condenser coils and measure the airflow through this area. They may also need to check the refrigerant levels in your air conditioner before you start it up for the season.
For more information, contact an air conditioning maintenance service.
