Once you have an air conditioner installed, it is important to ensure that you provide maintenance on a regular basis. This ensures that the unit continues to serve you by functioning efficiently and effectively for many years to come. If you neglect maintenance, you can be sure that your unit will begin to steadily decline and your energy costs will steadily go in the opposite direction. By carrying out maintenance, you will be keeping your costs low and extending the life of your unit.
Here are some considerations for maintenance:
Filters – If you want to make sure that your air conditioner works efficiently over time, you will need to clean and replace the filters on a regular basis. When the filters get dirty and become clogged, this affects air flow and the whole system becomes significantly less efficient. Additionally, the dirt in the filter can pass dirty air into the evaporator coil, which also affects its efficiency. You can actually reduce the consumption of energy by five to fifteen percent by simply changing the filters.
Coils – As your air conditioner works, the condenser coil and evaporator coil collect dirt. With a clean filter, the evaporator coil takes longer to get soiled. It will get soiled over time though, and you will need to clean it as needed. This is something that can be done once a year. The condenser coils on the outside can also get very dirty, especially if there is lots of foliage and dust outside.
Coil Fins – The condenser coil and evaporator coil come with aluminum fins that can bend easily and by so doing block the flow of air through the coil. By speaking to air conditioning wholesalers in your area, you will be able to purchase a fin comb that you can use to comb the fins back so that they look almost like they did originally.
Drains – To clean out the condensate drains, use a stiff wire and just pass it through the drain channels. If they are clogged, they tend to stop your AC from reducing the amount of humidity in the air. With all that moisture in the home, your carpet and walls may begin to discolor.
Getting Professional Maintenance
At least once a year, you should consider getting a professional to find and fix any problems that may exist with your AC. The person you select should be able to check on the refrigerant and ensure that you have the correct amount. He should also test for any leaks and fix them so that your refrigerant does not leak out. If there is refrigerant that needs to be removed from the system, the professional technician should remove it and legally dispose of it since releasing it into the atmosphere is illegal.
The technician will also measure how much air is going through your evaporator coil, if there is leakage in the seal duct, verify that your electric control sequence is working right and if not, correct it. He will also ensure that your heating and cooling operate at different times and not simultaneously. Electric terminals will be inspected, belts and oil motors as well, and thermostat accuracy confirmed.
