Maintaining Your Air Conditioner

Certain household appliances require more maintenance than others, and often the effort made to keep things running smoothly seems out of proportion when considering what the appliance actually does to enhance your comfort level.

When it comes to your household air conditioning system, a few basic tasks, performed regularly, can keep that vital piece of equipment running smoothly for years.

Check Your Coils: The A/C unit’s evaporator and condenser coils are a prime place for dirt and debris to collect, especially over time. The collection of dirt can reduce the unit’s capacity for taking on heat – which is a prime function of the A/C system. Solution: Take a good look at what’s going on with the indoor and outdoor coils. Even something as simple as a pile of leaves can reduce the outdoor coil’s efficiency.

Smooth Out the Fins: We’ve all seen air conditioning units with bent or warped aluminum fins, either because of weather mishaps or normal wear and tear. Many A/C wholesalers sell a tool known as a fin comb that will help you to guide the bent fins closer to their factory-made state.

Clear the Drains: Did you realize that your A/C unit has a drain, which allows condensation to flow out of the unit? Like any drain, this conduit can become clogged, which hinders the unit from cutting down humidity. Guide a stiff wire through the channel to avoid this problem.

Seal Off Window Units: When you’re getting ready to fire up your window air conditioner for the season, take a good look at the seal between the unit and the window frame. Over time, moisture can weaken or even destroy this seal, which means that your unit will spend much of its effort cooling the out of doors.

Winterize: The end of summer, signaled by the increasingly chilly days of Fall, is a good time to start thinking about protecting your air conditioning system for the duration of Winter. Covering the unit, whether a free-standing central one or a window machine, will help to shelter your system from harsh conditions.