One of the ways of taking good care of your air conditioner is to regularly clean it. HVAC companies report that there are plenty of benefits that come with regular cleaning of the unit.
Benefits of regular AC cleaning
Increased efficiency: When the air conditioner is clean, air flows unobstructed which increases the efficiency of the unit. As you might have guessed, when the unit functions efficiently, you pay less on home cooling.
Cleaner air: A dirty or clogged air filter tends to introduce and circulate particulates such as dander, mold spores, dust, pollen, and other allergens in the house. When you clean the air filters, you ensure that the air getting into the house is clean and flesh to breath.
Long life: A dirty air conditioner not only consumes a lot of energy, it also works harder than it should. As a result, it has a short lifespan. When you keep the unit clean, you ensure that it runs normally thus it has a long lifespan.
Peace of mind: When the air conditioner is dirty, it not only looks ugly, it also tends to break down every now and then. This isn’t the case with a clean, properly maintained air conditioner.
A properly maintained unit rarely develops issues thus you have peace of mind that it won’t grind to a halt in the middle of the night.
Cleaning the air conditioner condenser
One of the areas you should pay attention to when cleaning the unit is the air conditioner condenser. Start with turning off the power to the outdoor unit then clear the area around and above it. Clearing the area means removing grass, debris, and foliage.
You should then clean the condenser fins. These are thin metallic blades that surround the outdoor unit. You should be keen when cleaning them as they are fragile. The best way of preventing them from bending or breaking is using light pressure during the cleaning.
If you have the skills, access the interior portion of the condenser and clean it.
Cleaning the air filters
Clogged air filters take a toll on the air conditioner; therefore, you should have them cleaned at least once every month. Cleaning the pieces is easy as all you need is to pop open the plastic cover and remove the filters.
In most cases, you have one filter, but if they are more than one, you should go ahead and clean them. All you need to do is to take the filters outside and clean them thoroughly with a good brush or shake.
In some cases, you may have to vacuum them to get that clean look. You may find that the filters are too dirty and grimy. Are yours this way? You have no way out other than to wash them in warm water. For you to make them thoroughly clean, use a mild detergent.
Once clean, air dry them. Ensure that they are completely dry before you put them back in the air conditioner.
Are the air filters extremely dirty or too damaged for reuse? Consider replacing them. As rule of thumb, replace the pieces with high-quality units that will last for a long time.
Cleaning the indoor unit
This is the unit on the inside of the house. For you to clean it you should start with ensuring that the power to the unit is off. You should then take a look at the filter. Is it dirty? Clean it. If too damaged, replace it.
You should then open the blower compartment and vacuum any visible dust or debris that might be present. Once you are done, replace the compartment door and restore power to the unit.
Advanced air conditioner cleaning
In some cases, you may have to give the air conditioner a thorough cleaning. In such a case you may have to remove the indoor and outdoor units to access the condenser coils.
If you have never done it before, let AC repair companies Huntington handle the advanced cleaning. In addition to voiding warranty when you do the cleaning by yourself, you also risk accidentally damaging the air conditioner parts.
You also can release the refrigerant gas or even worse, put yourself at the risk of electrical hazards.