Convenient Air Conditioning Unit Maintenance Tips

While it may be true that a homeowner is always burdened by many different routine household maintenance chores, there are those that are just too important to miss out on. One of them is air conditioner maintenance. You might want to hold to other home improvement projects you plan on doing to give way tomaking sure that your AC system is functioning normally and efficiently, especially when the summer season is fast approaching.

Proper and regular air conditioning system maintenance is intended to guarantee that your equipment is running more efficiently, which in the process translates to you saving money on your energy bills. Likewise, it also helps in extending the life of your system, preventing you from purchasing another one sooner than later.

If you want to learn those easy and convenient tips on air conditioning system maintenance that don’t require an expert, then you should continue reading:

First of all, if you happen to have a window type of AC at home, then you should watch this video from About.com:

Credits to: About.com

Now let’s proceed to the step-by-step process of AC cleaning and maintenance. This time, let’s see this set of tips from the website DIYNetwork.com, in the article titled “10 Easy Steps to Keep Your Air-Conditioning Unit Running Smoothly,” particularly focusing on the external components of your air conditioning:

Shut Off The Power
Due to the dangers of working around electricity and the air-conditioner’s moving parts, it’s essential to completely turn off power to the unit. On the exterior condenser/compressor, look for an exterior shut-off box near the unit. Indoors, also turn the power off at the breaker box.

Remove Debris
On the exterior condenser/compressor, remove the fan cage. Using a screwdriver or wrench, remove the fasteners and lift the cage or fan grill away from the top of the unit. By hand, or with a wet/dry vacuum, clean leaves and other debris from the interior.

Clean The Fins
With a strong stream from a garden hose, spray through the fins from the inside out to blast any built up dirt or debris from between them. Never use a pressure washer, since the pressure can damage the fins. If the fins are particularly dirty, use a commercially available fin cleaning spray (available at home improvement centers; read and follow manufacturer directions).

Straighten The Fins
Since any reduction in air-flow through the fins can reduce efficiency, carefully straighten bent fins using a butter knife or commercially available fin-straightening tool. Be gentle so that the tubing embedded within the fins is not damaged.

Clean Area Around The Unit
Once finished with the cleaning, replace the fan cage. Rake back leaves and debris outside the condenser and cut back branches and vegetation at least 2 feet in all directions to ensure proper airflow around the unit. During winter months when the condenser is not in use, it’s good to cover the top of the unit with a piece of plywood or plastic to keep debris from falling in. However, don’t completely cover the unit’s sides, since moisture can build up inside and cause corrosion. Also, a completely covered unit encourages vermin to build nests inside. Remove any cover when the unit is operating.

See the other tips from this article by visiting the link.

Put in mind that if you don’t believe in your skills, you can always call and pay for a qualified technician to do it for you. There are several homeowners, and maybe including you, who are not really that confident in handling stuff at home that involve electrical components.

Plants and debris should be kept away from your AC’s external unit. (photo credit: TodaysHomeowner.com)

Furthermore, once you’re done with the external unit and/or components, it is time to focus on the internal parts. See this set of tips from TodaysHomeowner.com in the article “Five Easy Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips” by David Galli.

AC Tip #1: Clean and/or Replace Air Filter

Replacing your air conditioner air filter (or cleaning it, if you have a reusable filter) is one of the most important regular AC maintenance chores. It should be done every month during high-use seasons (like summer and winter) and once during the fall and spring.

Changing AC air filter in attic.

The air filter will be located either:

• Behind the return air grille on a wall or ceiling in a central room of the house.
• Inside the blower compartment of the air handler or furnace.
• In a slot on the side, bottom, or top of your furnace.

When the filter becomes full of dust, dirt and allergen particles, the air flow will decrease, making your system work harder than it should have to. The air flowing through your system may also become dirtier, dustier, and prone to triggering allergy and asthma symptoms for those residing in the home.

AC Tip #2: Check Wiring and Components

Before working on an air conditioner, ALWAYS start by turning off the power to the unit, which can be done at the service disconnect on your outdoor unit or at the main breaker panel of your home.

Old wiring inside AC unit.Next, remove the access panel on your condensing unit and see if you see any signs of overheating – melted insulation on wires, blackened or burned-looking wires, and the like.

You can also check any electrical connections to make sure they are tight. If you own an electrical test meter, you can check the capacitors in the unit.

Take a look at the contactor switch, and replace it if you see excessive pitting.

If you see any of the above problems and do not feel comfortable replacing the parts yourself, always call a local heating and air conditioning expert to do the work for you.

AC Tip #3: Examine Thermostat

Check your thermostat to make sure it’s working properly and keeps your home at the right temperature. If you have an older, mechanical type thermostat, you may want to consider upgrading to a programmable model.

Adjusting programmable thermostat.

A programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature higher when no one is home (do not turn the AC off, just up), and cool the house down about 30 minutes before people arrive home for the evening.

That way you’ll always have a comfortable home waiting for you, and you’ll save energy and money by not having your AC running all day when no one is at home.

AC Tip #4: Check Condenser Unit Fan

Condenser fanTurn the power off to your air conditioner unit, and check the fan mounted on the top of the outside condenser unit to make sure it’s still in good condition. Replace the fan blades if there are any cracks or chips visible in one or more of the blades.

If you have an older air conditioner unit, the fan motor bearings may need to be oiled regularly as well.

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Remember that those above might be very easy, do-it-yourself type of maintenance chores, but it doesn’t mean you’re compelled to perform them on your own. As we mentioned earlier, call a qualified HVAC technician if you don’t believe you can do it.