If you were to take a look around many Australian homes, you would find out that air conditioners are one of the most popular (if not the most popular) cooling systems being used. But in order to serve well in the hot summer days, all AC equipment needs to be given the right maintenance attention. If you use a central AC system in your home, here are some maintenance tips to help keep your home equipment working properly all summer, a critical time when no homeowner wants to experience equipment letdown.
Filter changes
Filters trap air-borne dirt and dust that can clog your AC and cause it to stop working efficiently. Dirty filters can reduce the lifespan of your cooling equipment and cost you more money in terms of increased energy bills. Removing and replacing dirty filters is one of the easiest, most effective and most economical ways to extend the life of your equipment, maintain energy efficiency and slash your monthly energy costs, much like your car's engine oil change.
Cleaning the outdoor unit
When the fan in the condenser unit is running, it collects a lot of dust from the surrounding environment. If this dust is not regularly cleaned out, the condenser coils can easily become clogged, forcing your AC unit to run harder than it should.
To effectively dust off the coils, you will need to remove them from the condenser unit. This can be done by using a screwdriver or any other handheld tool to unscrew the protective casings so as to reach the coils. The type of screwdriver used will depend upon the sort of fasteners used to secure the casings. Once the coils have been removed from the outdoor unit, a soft-tufted blower brush may be used to gently clean the coils.
Clean the area around the outdoor unit
It is not just the condenser coils that need your attention: The outdoor unit as a whole also needs to be looked at. Make sure to cut off grass or any other outdoor planting growing too close to the condenser unit. Anything growing near the unit will obstruct proper air flow, making it more difficult for air freely to move in and out.
As a general rule, it is prudent to have your AC unit is inspected by a HVAC contractor every year. This will help to identify and fix any existing and potential issues that may cause your equipment to act up. They can also then go ahead with any new cooling system installation if your old AC is too far gone.
