Five Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
There’s nothing worse than an AC that’s failing when it’s hot outside. Fortunately, with a bit of care, you can keep yours running smoothly. Listed below, you’ll find five maintenance tips that are easy to perform, and they’ll save you loads of money on repairs or replacement.
1. Evaporator Coil Cleaning
An evaporator coil will eventually suffer from a buildup of dirt and dust. When it does, your AC will be less efficient and require more energy to cool your home. This will also contribute to a decreased lifespan for your unit. To prevent these negative consequences, simply clean your coil on a regular basis. Your location, frequency of use and particular type of unit will determine how often you should perform this task. If your AC is prone to collecting dust and dirt frequently, then you may have to clean your coil once a month during AC season.
There are a few ways to clean evaporator coils. Compressed air is great at dislodging dirt and dust particles that aren’t too heavily caked onto the coil. Brushing is also an effective method when the coil isn’t too dirty. If you have a coil that is covered with thick dust or dirt, you can use commercial cleaners or mild detergents with water. Keep in mind that the more regularly you clean your coil, the less buildup of dirt you’ll have.
2. Replace Air Filters
The job of your AC’s air filter is to prevent dust, debris and particulates from entering the system. When these contaminants make their way inside your AC, they cause serious wear and tear on all the moving parts, and this leads to your unit’s early demise. Fortunately, air filters are easy to change. You simply locate the filter, unscrew the guard panel if necessary and remove the dirty filter. Take care to choose an appropriate replacement.
3. Clear Debris From Around the Outside of the Unit
The outside portion of your AC system needs periodic attention. Because it’s located outdoors, it can easily become crowded or covered by natural and human debris. The first thing you want to do is make sure that there’s plenty of clearance around the unit so it has room to breathe. If there is anything blocking the airflow, including plants, garbage, dead leaves or other litter, promptly remove it. Without sufficient airflow, the unit could overheat and burn out.
4. Clean the Condensate Drain Line
The condensate drain line expels the moisture that your AC pulls from the air. At times, it may become clogged with all sorts of matter, including algae, bugs and sediment. Newer ACs will let you know when your line is clogged; however, older ACs don’t have this feature, which is why you should periodically check the line for blockages. A wet/dry shop vac could work at clearing the line. If not, you can try pouring bleach or vinegar through it.
5. Periodic Professional Maintenance
The most important step in maintaining your AC is regularly scheduling professional maintenance. Because you’re doing a little maintenance yourself, you won’t have to call in a professional often. If your AC gets quite a bit of use throughout the year, then you should call for service at least once annually, even if you maintain it and it’s running great.
Not only will a professional give your AC a thorough tune-up, they will also perform a conscientious inspection. This checkup will show if there are any problems that might be developing. Frequently, these developing problems are undetectable to the untrained eye but quite obvious to an experienced AC technician. Catching these issues and nipping them in the bud will save you lots of time, money and hassle in the end.
Performing some AC maintenance for your system on a regular basis can have many advantages for you in the long run. Even if you’re not the most mechanical person around, basic AC maintenance is within your reach if it’s something you’d like to try. If not, you can simply call for periodic professional service, which is cheaper than waiting until your cooling equipment develops a problem that requires repair.
At Nacogdoches Sheet Metal, Plumbing & Air Conditioning, LTD., we have a team of trained technicians ready to provide your AC with the maintenance it needs to keep your home cool throughout the warmer months. In addition, we handle heating maintenance to ensure you’re cozy in the winter. You can also count on us for heating or cooling installations or repairs, a full range of plumbing services and sheet metal fabrication. Call Nacogdoches Sheet Metal, Plumbing & Air Conditioning, LTD. in Nacogdoches today for more information.