Air Conditioner Maintenance

The weather is getting hot again! If you are one of the people lucky to have an air conditioning unit, you know the importance of keeping it working when you need it most. If you didn’t do routine maintenance in the spring, now is a good a time to make sure you extend the lifespan (and save money) on your cooling system.

Shut off power

Before you start any maintenance, make sure you shut off power to the unit. There should be an exterior shut off box on your exterior compressor, and you should also shut off power right at the breaker box.

Clean the unit

Trim any brush that grow on the outside of the unit that can impede air flow. Get out your shop vacuum and clean leaves and other debris from around, and inside, your unit. You’ll need to remove the fan cage first to really clean the unit, so make sure you shut off the power.

Clean or change air filters

How often you need to do this will vary by how dusty conditions are. Whether you have pets, and how often you run your air conditioner, it should be done at the beginning and end of the summer at minimum.

Clean the coils

Dirty coils detrimentally impact your unit’s cooling abilities and reduces overall airflow, so make sure you clean the coils at least once a season. Use a brush to clean debris from the coils, then spray a no-rinse coil cleaner. Leave the foam to drip into the drain pan, and then give the drain pan a good clean. You should also pour a 50% water/50% bleach solution in the drain to keep it clean and algae-free.

Straighten bent fins

The fins on the evaporator can become bent and inhibit air flow. Use a butter knife to gently straighten any bent fins.

Turn the power back on

Once everything is back in place, you can turn the power back and use your air conditioning unit again to stay cool and comfortable.

Routine maintenance will help save on the cost of repair and replacement, and make sure your unit works efficiently. For anything beyond routine care, we’re happy to help!