In an ideal situation, you should hire an AC repair services provider to maintain your appliance, but what if you don’t have the resources to do it? Does it mean your systems will stay in their unkempt state?
Absolutely not, as you can maintain the unit by yourself. You only need to be cautious and follow the right procedure. To help you out, here is a DIY AC unit maintenance guide to follow:
Keep the outdoor unit clear.
Most homeowners have split systems which means that some of the components are indoors and others outdoors. We will look at the indoor unit later. Now let’s focus on the outdoor unit—the unit located outside the house.
Before you even go outside to start working on the outdoor unit, switch off the power to avoid being electrocuted. You should then check for debris, such as dirt, leaves, and twigs, around the unit and remove them.
The purpose of doing this is for the unit to “breathe” better and prevent it from clogging. When you are clearing the debris, don’t just pay attention to the one growing around the unit. Also, remove the one growing in the fan cage. To do it, you will have to remove the fan cage with a wrench and screwdriver.
For an optimally functioning unit, ensure that there is at least a three feet clearance on each side of the appliance.
Once there is no debris around your unit, now turn your attention to the fins. The fins of the outdoor unit are located on the side of the unit, and they look like a metal grill, and their purpose is to provide airflow and move heat away from the appliance.
If the fins are dirty, bent, or clogged, they block airflow, reducing the air conditioner’s efficiency, so you need to inspect them and fix them if having any problem.
The first thing to do is to clean them using a fin spray. You also should inspect them, and if bent, straighten them using a fin comb.
Once everything is in place, ensure the outdoor unit is leveled. This is because if the outdoor compressor isn’t level, it will disrupt the flow of the refrigerant and oil through the system, leading to expensive repairs.
If the unit isn’t level, fix it using rot-resistant shims.
Clean the indoor unit
The indoor unit carries the evaporator, and most homeowners will have their unit in the basement, attic, or utility closet. Like with the outdoor unit, the first thing to do before you do anything is switch off the power.
Begin with cleaning the evaporator coil. The coil uses refrigerant to remove heat from the air and move it to the outdoor unit, and in the process, keep the house cool.
To access the evaporator coil, you need to remove the screws and panel then inspect them for dirt. Dirty coils lead to inefficient appliances, so you should clean them using a spray cleaner specially designed for cleaning coils.
Once you are done with the coils, turn your attention to the evaporator drain and remove any liquids it might be holding. While at it, confirm that the drain is free of dirt, debris, and mold. The best appliance to clean the drain is the shop vac.
Replace the air filters
Air filters appear simple, and you might have the impression they have no impact on the working of the air conditioner, but they are vital. When you ignore them for long, dirt and debris, tend to accumulate on them, and the AC doesn’t run as efficiently as it should.
Replacing the air filter is easy as all you need to do is access their compartment, remove the old filters and replace them with the new ones.
Inspect the thermostat
The thermostat controls the air conditioner, so the entire cooling system is compromised when it’s not working properly. You should check the batteries and ensure they have enough charge. You also should clean the thermostat if dirty.
Finally, test the cooling and ensure the thermostat is working properly. If you find a problem, don’t try to fix it yourself, as you will most likely cause more serious problems. Instead, get in touch with an air conditioner repair services McLean provider who will diagnose the problem and fix it.
