Having nice cool air in the summertime is essential to keeping you and your family comfortable when you're at home. Most homes have a central air conditioning unit that is responsible for cooling down the house. When this air conditioner unit is properly cleaned, it will produce cool air all day long.
Why Does It Need Cleaning?
You may be questioning why your air conditioning unit needs cleaning at all. It's important to realize that outdoor debris can accumulate on your outside compressor unit. When this happens, it covers up the grates that allow for airflow. This results in your air conditioning unit working overtime to keep your home cool. The more your cooling system has to work, the higher your energy bill will be and greater possibility of an expensive AC repair. Do yourself a favor and keep your compressor unit cleaned so you know you're not spending excess money on cooling your home.
What Do You Need To Clean Your Unit?
Now, since you understand the importance of having a clean air compressor unit, it's time to get your supplies ready for the cleaning process. You'll need to get your vacuum cleaner, hose, gloves, and an air conditioner coil cleaner. It's a good idea to check the manufacturer's cleaning agent recommendation to ensure you're not damaging the system.
What Are The Steps For Cleaning Your Unit?
Most air conditioners get cleaned the same way. You'll want to start by turning off your air conditioning unit. There is an electrical disconnect that should be by the outside of your compressor unit. This looks like a small metal box that has a switch inside of it. Open the box and switch your cooling system to the off position.
Next, you'll want to put on some gloves and start removing the big chunks of debris against your system. Try to get as much of the debris off as possible. Grab your vacuum next and put on a soft bristle attachment. This way, you can be assured that you won't damage the condenser fins while you're cleaning. Run the brush over all of the condenser fins, these look like grates, to remove any debris. Pay close attention not to bend the fins while you're cleaning.
Now, it's time to get the hose. You'll want to use a higher pressure setting to remove the debris from the unit. It's very common for debris like cut grass and leaves to get stuck in the compressor fins. Once your unit is wet, you can apply the coil cleaner. Be sure to read the instructions that come along with the bottle of coil cleaner that you purchased. Many require that you give 10 to 15 minutes for the cleaner to actually penetrate the unit before cleaning it off. Spray off the residue from the cleaning solution.
As you can see, cleaning your HVAC System isn't that difficult to do. You just need to ensure that you have the right materials to do the job and you understand the steps involved. It's best to clean your condenser unit a couple of times per year to ensure optimal cooling during those hot summer months.
