How to Clean and Maintain Your Air Conditioner

After a long, dreary, rainy spring (at least where I live) the warm weather has finally arrived and I figured a timely article on how to clean and maintain your air conditioner would be a good idea. If you want your air conditioner running at peak efficiency, allowing it to cool more effectively and more economically then you just need to follow these simple steps to ensure it is keeping you in cool comfort all summer long:

1 – Clean the outdoor unit

Before you start cleaning your air conditioner it is imperative you turn off electrical power to the unit. Once you have done that you’ll want to clean the condenser coil. There is a small fan inside the condenser coil that draws air in, and because this part of the unit is outside, it naturally gets clogged with all sorts of natural debris like leaves, dirt and grass. Vacuum it out delicately with a brush attachment, and remove any twigs, leaves or other debris. Unscrew the grate, and spray the fins with a hose (spraying at an angle to avoid damaging). Screw grate back on, and reconnect electrical power. Test the air conditioning unit to make sure there are no odd clunks or rattles that would indicate something is unseated or damaged.

2 – Examine the furnace filter

Again, turn the electrical power off to the furnace before performing any maintenance. Remove the filter and examine it. If it is dirty then replace it. This will keep the unit operating at peak efficiency and keep dirt off the evaporator coil. This should be done on a monthly basis to ensure maximum efficiency.

3 – Clear the condensation drain

Algae and other nameless sludge can collect in the air conditioner’s condensation drain, causing a partial or even complete blockage. If not unclogged this can cause leakage and potential water damage to your home. In most cases it will be algae that has caused the blockage, and running a solution of bleach and water through the pipe should destroy the algae and clear the blockage.

These are the three most important steps to cleaning and maintaining your central air conditioning unit. If you feel uncomfortable messing around with this expensive equipment, then by all means call a professional to do the job. But don’t wait until summer hits to get the work done. The techs that perform this service will be flooded with work during the hot season, so make sure you call them as early in the season as possible to avoid waiting for weeks.