5 ways to maintain your aircon
The main cause of bad indoor air quality in air-conditioned rooms is the irregular maintenance of air-conditioning devices and sometimes completes absence of it. Such devices are a source of microbes and may cause many respiratory diseases caused by bacteria that multiply in improperly treated indoor units.
All manufacturers advise that cleaning of the air conditioner should be done very often, and even the warranty extension is conditioned by the obligatory annual service. If you don’t know how to do it or you just don’t want to do it by yourself, you should entrust it to the aircon servicing experts. But still, if you want to do it by yourself, you should consider these 5 ways to maintain your air conditioner. It applies to portable aircon as well.
Clean filters
Cleaning the filter is an activity that you can perform by yourself. It only takes a little bit of will and a little time. The filter should be checked every two months during the cooling/heating season, and even more often in polluted environments.
Before cleaning, turn off the air conditioner and disconnect it from the power supply. Just open the indoor unit cover and, according to the instructions, take out the filter that should be cleaned. Remove any larger objects from the filters, and then wash them with warm water. It’s recommended to treat the filters with a disinfectant (consult a workshop). Leave the filter to dry and then return it back.
Check the outdoor unit
The outdoor unit of the split-system air conditioner is exposed to various weather influences (sun, rain, wind, …). A regular inspection of the outdoor unit is required for removing unwanted objects from it (leaves, branches, …). If you can’t do it by yourself, call the air conditioning service.
Keep coils clean
Coils are very important part of your air conditioning system because they help refrigerant to heat and cool your home. During a long period of use, coils may become covered by dirt which significantly reduces their capacity for heat absorption. Because of that, the system has to put a lot more effort to make the cooling effective.
There are lots of ways to do it, but it’s the best to start with cleaning the dirt around the condenser unit by opening the outdoor component.
Check the condensate drain
Due to a lot of factors, the condensate drain can be clogged and it can have a big influence on the quality of drainage. The air conditioner will work properly after the clog is removed.
Call professionals for obligatory annual service
With time, the amount of Freon in the system decreases. It maintains the temperature and the lack of it causes a decrease in the performance of air conditioner. In that case, aircon gas refilling is necessary. Often, the fins of the outdoor unit may be damaged by hail because the hailstones can squeeze the grid. The crushed grid doesn’t allow air to flow properly, which also leads to the deterioration of the air conditioner.
Don’t forget to change your aircon remote control batteries as this is also one of the basic maintenance!