How to Clean & Maintain your Air Conditioner – 2024 DIY Guide 

Maintaining your air conditioner clean is very important, not only because you want to decrease your electricity bill, but also because it is necessary for proper functioning and longer usage. In order to be able to enjoy its maximum efficiency, you need to fit maintenance into your schedule and don’t forget to check it regularly. If you’ve never done it before, we have made a guide to help you do it perfectly.

1. Unplug it

This is the first and most important step. You shouldn’t clean it until you are completely sure that there is no electricity. It is the only safe way to avoid any danger. Check everything twice before you actually start the cleaning process. The access panel should be loosened, so remove fasteners. Keep them somewhere safe so nothing gets lots. Prepare everything you need for cleaning. You can use compressed air or a small brush. If you want to use a brush, you will need a cleaner to use with it. There are some commercial detergents for air conditioner cleaning that you can use or you can mix a mild detergent with warm water that you can use to clean coils.

2. Check your filter

People often forget that in order to have a fully functioning air conditioner, the filter must be changed at least once in a few months. Ideally, it should be changed once a month if it is used on a daily basis. By doing this, you can be sure that the system will be fully functional and working at its full capacity. Having dirt in it may cause it to work harder but less efficiently than it should. Also, it will use less electricity when there are no difficulties of any kind. It will also save your money in the long run, because your AC will work longer.

3. Maintain the coils

Fins and coils must be in a perfect state. Debris and leaves may sometimes get stuck around your AC which will have serious consequences for sure. The obstruction of any kind can significantly impact the work of air conditioning. Be gentle during cleaning, so you don’t disrupt your AC system, but be thorough so you can be sure that everything is cleaned properly. Check everything a few times before you bring everything back so you can be sure that it will work well.

4. Make sure there are no direct obstructions

If you have shrubbery around your AC to hide it from the views, you must be very careful not to have it too close. It can significantly impact the way your AC is working, so you must keep it trimmed at all times. Also, the dryer vent should be properly angled so that the dryer can vent on the outside. Check the cables and everything else that may be impacting its work and place them so they don’t get in the way of proper functioning.

5. Adjust the thermostat

The best way to prolong the proper condition of your AC is to set the thermostat to work on a higher temperature during periods when you are away. This means that it will decrease the number of hours that it has to work at its full capacity and consequently prolong its full functionality. Also, this will significantly decrease your bill at the end of the month.  

6. Have a professional cleaning

Even though regular maintenance can be done by you easily, it is still necessary to have a professional check it from time to time to see if everything is functioning properly. It is safer that way and you can be sure after that everything is functioning at its full capacity. If there is some malfunction they will take care of it, or let you know what to pay attention to so you have everything running smoothly all the time. Check ac repair for more information. It is very important to have professionals take a look at it at least once or twice a year. These regular checkups will help you to react in a timely manner if there is anything that should be taken care of and prevent any major breakdowns.

7. Level the AC

When the cleaning is done, you need to make sure that you will return the air conditioning properly. Check if it is leveled properly and keep in mind that if there is a heat pump system, noticing that it is sloped away slightly is perfectly fine. This is because during winter there is often frost and when it starts melting, it is easier to run-off this way.

8. Clean the drain

The evaporator coil is usually the place where the mold and algae start to build up from the moist. Not only this is unhealthy but it can also plug the drain and prevent proper functioning. If the drain is plugged then the unit may stop cooling your rooms down in order to prevent further damage. Clean the drain with the vacuum. Before you start vacuuming it is recommendable to remove the filter so it does not clog. Clean it in sessions of a few minutes, until you see that it is clean.

These are the steps you need to take to make sure that everything is functioning properly. After you make sure that you’ve removed all the dirt, you can plug it back in. Keep in mind that you need to check everything twice to be absolutely sure that you placed everything back properly. After that, you will notice that your air conditioning is functioning much better than before. Any dirt that piles up in the air conditioning can impact its functioning significantly. So, schedule regular checkups and cleaning. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, find a company that will be able to do the maintenance for you. It will save a lot of your money along the way, especially because your air conditioning will last longer when properly maintained.