Your air conditioner is a complicated piece of machinery, and proper annual maintenance requires the hand of a licensed technician. However, there are air conditioner maintenance tasks that a homeowner can perform.
Change the Air Filter
If you haven’t learned how to change the air filter, you should. It’s easy, and it’s the single most important task that can be performed to keep the HVAC system performing at its peak. A dirty filter will slow down the airflow and can result in a breakdown. Change the filter monthly, particularly if you have pets or high traffic in your home. Choose a good quality pleated filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 8 to 12 to improve indoor air quality.
Remove Obstructions and Obstacles
The condenser, the compressor and a fan that helps exhaust heat from refrigerant are housed in the outdoor unit of a split system A/C. Clear leaves, grass clippings, branches or weeds away, leaving a space at least two feet wide around the unit so that it can operate properly. Make sure the outdoor unit is balanced properly on the concrete base.
Check the Condensate Drain
The condensate drain is located in the indoor unit of the air conditioner. You will most likely have to remove an access panel to reach it. Run a stiff wire down the drain channel to remove any obstructions. Pour a solution of bleach and water down the drain to clear any mold, fungus or bacteria. Check the drain pan for any rust or leaks.
Clean the Coils
To clean the condenser coil, remove the housing to the outdoor unit and examine the coil, a series of tubes in an aluminum framework. Use a foaming cleanser, available from home improvement stores. Straighten bent fins with a fin comb. Indoors, open the access panel and examine the evaporator coil. Use the coil cleanser, allowing it to drain away into the drain pan.
Call Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing to schedule your air conditioner maintenance. We’ve provided more than 40 years of service to our Brownsburg area customers.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Feng Yu/Shutterstock”
