Wondering why your air conditioner is blowing anything but cold air for the last few weeks? Maybe it needs some real “conditioning”. Without proper care, the life and efficiency of a room air conditioner can gradually decrease to alarming levels. However, don’t worry, maintaining an air conditioner is as easy as it can get. A little effort on your part will go a long way in ensuring that you enjoy the cool and fresh air of your air conditioner for the longest period of time.
Complexity Level: Moderate
Estimated Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Resources required:
1. Soap and Water
2. Chlorine Bleach
3. Screwdriver
4. Piece of wire or bottlebrush
Instructions:
1. Unplug the AC: First comes first. Disconnect the air conditioner from any source of power before undertaking any maintenance task. Now remove the front cover or the grill from the conditioner. This will provide you complete access to the coil. You might need the help of a screwdriver in this step.
2. Clean the filters: Having dirty filters in the unit will not only restrict the air flow, but can also cause the evaporator to ice up. Therefore, clean the filters regularly. Take the filter out of unit and wash it in either warm plain water or a solution of mild detergent mixed with water. Let the filter soak in this solution for around 15 minutes. This will remove all the dirt, dust and grime stuck on the grills. Then rinse it in clean water.
3 Install the clean filters: Before reinstalling the filter make sure that it is completely dry. It is recommended to clean the filters every few days to maintain maximum cooling power for the air conditioner.
4. Place the AC in sunlight: For removing any underlying moisture and bad odor, it is advisable that you take out the entire air conditioner and place it outside in the sun.
5. Wash the Coil: Now direct your attention towards the coil. You can use a cleansing agent specifically manufactured for the same purpose. First, spray water on the coil, using a hose and after that apply these cleaners. The main purpose of using these is to assist in removal of deposits and odor of mold, dirt, cigarette smoke etc.
6. Check the AC: Now all done, replace the conditioner back in the casing and attaché the grill to it. Give a last look to make sure everything is at place and then connect it to a power source. Happy enjoying the cool air!!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How often should I do the check up of my air conditioner?
A. It is recommended that you run a complete maintenance program for your AC at least once a year. Having said that, your filter requires cleanup every 15 hours or else it would be deposited with loads of daily dust, dirt and grime.
Q. I have cleaned my air conditioner, but it still does not blow cool air. What should I do?
A. Although such a condition indicates a probable compressor failure or loss of refrigerant charge, you may have to perform a second thorough inspection of the unit to be sure of the cause. For the same, you should check the outdoor coils. Sometimes, because of the dusty surroundings, there is a lot of accumulated dirt on the coils. Use a foam cleanser for cleaning them and rinse it with a garden hose. Instead of directing a stream of water into the coils, just let the foam to float away with the water. Reassemble the whole set up, and adjust the thermostat to a lower temperature. If the air being pumped out is still not cool, then it is probably time you should replace the compressor.
Quick Tips
1. Don’t wait for the first day of the sweltering summer heat to run your air conditioner. Always test it for once beforehand, so that you save yourself from the summer.
2. After cleaning and reassembling the unit, be sure that you have secured all the access panels with all screws in their intended place.
Things to watch out for
1. Avoid foam from spraying electrical wires, controls or other parts. The best use of foaming type cleaners will achieve only when used as instructed.
2. Always make sure that the condensing unit, which is located outside is not covered up. Since every cooling system needs to draw air from outside and circulate inside.
