5 simple ways to maintain your Air Conditioner
For a middle-class family, AC is not a small investment. Frequent repairs and problems make the investment even more costly. There are many simple measures we can take in order to increase the lifetime of an AC without frequent repairs. This article is to guide every small family to not waste money on unnecessary problems we can avoid by following simple steps.
Not only to avoid problems, maintaining an AC is important to get the best work out of it by reducing the load, and guess what? An AC with no load reduces the electricity bill. Neglecting necessary maintenance gradually decreases the performance of the Air conditioner.
Here is a list of five major and prominent maintenance tasks you should never miss to ensure the best performance of an AC:
1.??Cleaning the AC Filters should be a routine
?The purpose of AC filters is to protect the inside of the unit from dust and other contaminants that are found in the air around like hairs, fibers, etc. They block all the debris from reaching the AC interior. We need to clean these filters based on the frequency of AC usage. At least two times a month is a must.
?Neglecting the filters for a long time clogs all the dirt and significantly reduces the system’s efficiency and even the airflow. Studies show that replacing a dirty coil or a clogged filter reduces power consumption by up to 15 percent.
Some filters are designed to be reusable but some are to be replaced from time to time. When the airflow is obstructed due to the dirt, air can bypass the filter and deposit the dirt directly into the evaporator coil which impairs the coil’s heat-absorbing capacity.
?2.??Clean the coils once a year
?Cleaning AC filters from time to time also saves your coils from spoiling quickly. An AC’s evaporator coil and the condenser coil take at least 9 to 10 months of time to need a cleanout. This time period keeps decreasing with the increasing delay in cleaning the filters.
?The clogged dirt on the coils reduces the airflow and insulates the coil thus reducing the heat-absorbing capacity. If you are cleaning your filters from time to time, a yearly clean would be enough for the coils. Outdoor condenser coils are also affected by the external environment.
?If the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby, the coils can become dirtier. Hence, check if any dirt is getting collected on the fins and keep cleaning it. The best and suggested option is to find a way to keep the unit from potential dirt sources like your dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower. Clean the area around the coils and trim the foliage back to at least 2 feet for airflow around the condenser.
3.??Condensate Drain
The condensate drain in the AC system is the next prominent part of an air conditioner. It is a line that runs through the home or building and leads to the external AC units. These are typically made with PVC pipe or metal. It drains all the condensation/ humidity created within the system to outside where the drain line ends.
The drain can become clogged in a certain time which results in drainage.
If you observe that your AC isn’t draining water perfectly, check the drain. There might be some obstruction blocking the funnel. An obstructed condensate drain can freeze your AC as it traps all the water in the AC and the evaporator will gradually turn into ice. All the blocked humidity also freezes and it turns off the AC.
4.??Fins of the evaporator and Condenser
There are two types of fins in an AC unit-evaporator fins and condenser fins. The purpose of fins in both evaporator and the condenser is to allow the air to flow smoothly in and out of the AC. Condenser fins are located near the compressor and the evaporator fins are located on the evaporator.
The unique job of the condenser fins is to help the condenser to keep the heat away from the AC. Air is blown across the evaporator fins where it is cooled and then sent from the air conditioner through ducts and vents and into various rooms.
These fins are made of metal and are delicate. Bent fins are a common AC problem. Keep inspecting if the fins in the evaporator and condenser are bent as bent fins lead to insufficient airflow. If you observe that the fins are bent, you can purchase a fin comb or better call for professional help.
5.??The Condenser Unit Fan
The condenser fan cools down the refrigerant gas. If it isn’t working properly, the AC no longer cools the room. It's designed to remove heat from the refrigerant inside of the condenser's hollow passages. You might’ve sometimes heard some weird noises from the AC. These sounds can be because of a faulty condenser fan.
You must call for professional help in case of these noises. A failed fan will not only fail to produce cold air but can even result in damage to the AC system due to overheating. Experts check for heaviness in the motor and examine if there are any chips and crack in the blades.
Rather than frequent repairs, opt for time-to-time professional AC maintenance from a good company. A technician appointment for your AC is like your dentist appointment. Don’t wait till cavities and maintain your Air conditioner with time-to-time professional maintenance.