They say the best time to start on the maintenance process of an air conditioner is right before it is actually needed. Read on to know more about air conditioner maintenance tips.

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

When we can take the pains of cleaning the whole house, all by ourselves – the fans, lights, even the expensive chandeliers – why call professional help, when it comes to air conditioners. Air conditioners are of two types – the split type and the wall or window mounted type. The last few years have, in fact, seen a rise in the consumption of air conditioners, especially split air conditioners. The number of people, however, who know how to maintain an air conditioner every year, before summers arrive, is still very less. They may not even know the various parts of an air conditioner. It may help to know that properly maintaining the air conditioner may reduce, not only the repair costs, but also considerably bring down energy bills. Looks like grandma’s policy of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, could pay off in many ways, right? Read on to find ways of maintaining your air conditioner.
 
How To Maintain An Air Conditioner 
  • Unplug the air conditioner from the power source and remove the front cover. The filter may be attached to the front, or the back cover. If not, it may be fastened in front of the coils.
  • Remove the filter and wash it in warm soap water. Squeeze out as much water as possible and let it dry completely before you reinstall it. Check the filter before cleaning and reinstalling, in case it is damaged or torn. In such a case, get it replaced immediately.
  •  With a clean, wet cloth, wipe the cover and the grill over evapourator coil.
  • Vacuum the grill and evapourator coils gently, taking care not to bend or damage the aluminum fins of the fans.
  • Next, remove the drain tube and, using a wire or narrow bottlebrush, clear any blockages in it.
  •   Pour a mixture of chlorine bleach and water through the tube to thoroughly clean it. 
Many products are also available in markets, which help in thorough cleaning and maintenance of air conditioners. It would do you good to ask around for the best one among them.
 
Tips And Warnings
  • Turn the split air conditioner off, when you leave the house for more than two hours. Split air conditioners may consume less power, but their fans too need a break.
  •  Make sure that all the seams around the air conditioner are sealed. This not only protects the cool air from escaping, but also decreases the accumulation of debris, inside the air conditioner.
  • If it’s a wall mounted air conditioner, it would do well to remove it, during winters. If not possible, cover it with clean cloth to prevent accumulation of dust and debris inside.

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