DIY AC Maintenance and Cleaning: Aug 20th, 2021   [viewed 3 times]
You can perform some basic ac maintenance on your own. Here's what to anticipate: • Time Required: Less than half a day • Cost: $50.00 to $100.00 • Tools and Materials: 1. Screwdriver or wrench 2. Wet/dry vacuum 3. Garden hose 4. Butter knife or fin tool 5. Rake and/or pruning shears 6. Level 7. Shims if necessary 8. Foil tape 9. Soft bristle paintbrush ($1.00) 10. Coil cleaner 11. Hot, soapy water 12. Bleach Before You Start: The unit's power should be turned off. Switch the condenser to the "off" position. Turn off the breaker at the breaker box in your home. You don't want it to switch on while your hands are close to the fan blades! Because any electric shock can occur while performing ac maintenance. Outside: 1. Remove the condenser and clean it. There won't be much to clean if your condenser is on the roof. You're more likely to have debris if it's at ground level. Remove the grating from the fan and remove any dirt that may have accumulated within. Spray the fins from the inside out with a garden hose. A pressure washer should never be used. The fins are quite thin and readily damaged. 2. Examine the fins. They're really light and flex readily. If you observe any damaged areas, such as flattened fins, use the butter knife or fin tool to gently correct them. Take care not to damage the tubing that runs through the fins. That is the most important aspect of ac maintenance; without it, the entire cycle of ac maintenance would be incomplete, which could result in issues. 3. Remove any ground-level rubbish and cut any branches or plants back at least two feet from the condenser. 4. The denser should be leveled. It's not uncommon for the condenser pad to get off-level when the dirt settles. With the help of shims and a level, you can level the condenser again. Inside: 1. For improved ac maintenance, clean the evaporator coils. These should be kept hidden behind a door above the blower motor. Foil tape could be used to seal it. Open the cover and dust the coil with the soft paintbrush. Spray the coil with a coil cleaner and allow it to trickle into the drain pan. Clean the drain pan with soap and hot water afterward. Make sure the drain is not clogged. You can skip the next step if it does. 2. For ac maintenance, clean the evaporator drain. The evaporator enclosure normally has a 1-inch PVC pipe coming out of it. Follow it until the point where it empties. Attach the wet/dry vacuum to this end, using duct tape or a rag to seal it. To avoid harming the vacuum's filter, remove it and run it for 2-3 minutes to dislodge any blockages. 3. Modify the filter. This should be done twice a year on heating and cooling systems since you need to alter them for better performance during ac maintenance; once at the beginning of the cooling season and once at the beginning of the warming season. 4. Restart the machine and let it complete a full cycle. If your air conditioner isn't cooling as well as it once did, it's time to call a technician for professional ac maintenance. The total cost of this ac maintenance should be around $50.00. Even if all you can do is change the filter on a regular basis, doing so will save you 15% on your cooling bill.