Extend the lifespan of your air conditioning unit by learning how to maintain it on your own. It isn’t difficult to handle the simple upkeep your unit needs. By keeping up on simple maintenance practices, you will save a lot of money in costly air conditioning repairs. Before each season begins, make it a habit to go through these basic steps.
Power Down
Before doing any kind of work or maintenance, make sure to shut off all power to that particular unit. It’s much safer and easier to do work on it when you don’t have to worry about the electricity and moving parts. For an outdoor unit, turn the power off using the exterior power box that will be located near the unit.
Clean It Out and Around
To thoroughly clean the unit, you will need to undo the fasteners and remove the fan cage. Use a vacuum with wet/dry capabilities to clear debris out from the inside of the unit. Next, spray the fins from the inside out with a hose to get any extra dirt off. If there’s an exceptional amount of dirt and debris on the fins, use a fin cleaning spray that is made specifically for the job.
In addition to cleaning the unit, make sure to clean the area around the unit too. Cut back any bushes or branches nearby to ensure that the unit is unobstructed and gets proper air flow.
Straighten and Level
Once the fins are clean, check to make sure none of them are bent out of shape. This could restrict airflow and cause serious problems. If you find any bent fins, you can use a butter knife to gently straighten them out. If you aren’t gentle, you could damage the tubes inside of the fins.
Also, use a level to make sure that your AC Unit is completely level. The reason for doing this is because the soil tends to settle and cause the pad underneath the unit to tip. This will eventually cause the compressor within the unit to fail.
Regular maintenance will help you keep ahead of small issues that could grow to be bigger and more expensive to fix. Sometimes the issues are too complicated and will need more intensive air conditioning repair, but HVAC unit issues are often due to preventable causes.
