It is that time of year when we all turn on our air conditioners because enduring the scorching summer without an AC is close to impossible. But have you spared a thought for the maintenance of your ACs? Maintaining your air conditioner will not only save you money on electricity, but it will also extend its lifespan, preventing costly early replacements. Besides this, maintaining your AC unit is important for the overall occupants’ health too. Dirty air conditioners or poorly functioning systems can promote the growth of microorganisms such as mold, causing allergies and asthma, posing serious health issues to the occupants.
It is important to maintain the filters, coils, and fans of an air conditioner regularly for the machine to perform efficiently over its lifetime. Neglecting basic maintenance results in a continuous reduction in air conditioning efficiency while progressively shooting up energy consumption. This summer, increase the efficiency of your air conditioner with these helpful recommendations from Gharpedia for air conditioner maintenance.
5 Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips to Follow
Air conditioners, like any other mechanical equipment, require certain maintenance to operate properly. Here are some ways to maintain your air conditioner.
01. Clean The Dirty AC Filters
Routine replacement or cleaning of your air conditioner’s filters is the most crucial activity for ensuring its performance. The AC filters accumulate dust, resulting in poor airflow, less cooling effect, and contamination of the room. In Asia, we recommend cleaning the AC filters every two months. If the usage of the AC unit is higher, we recommend replacing the old AC filters with a new one. You can clean these AC filters yourself using warm water or a vacuum cleaner. You can add detergent for quick cleaning. Delay in cleaning of AC filters can result in the entry of clogged particles back into the unit.
02. Inspect Air Conditioner Coils
Air conditioning coils assist the refrigerant in absorbing heat and cooling the space. These coils get covered with dust particles with time, limiting their ability to absorb heat. In such cases, the AC unit must work harder to keep the room at the desired temperature. To avoid this issue, be sure to get the coils cleaned on a regular basis. Because the coils are sharp, and it is dangerous to touch them, get this done by professionals during regular maintenance.
03. Check the Condensate Drain
The condensate drain drains out condensation from the refrigeration cycle. It connects to the indoor unit’s drain tray or pan and empties into an outside collection point. Slime, mold, and algae can all develop in the AC drain line, causing blockages. When the condensate drain becomes plugged, draining stops. A clogged AC drain is an indication that your equipment requires maintenance. If you observe that the water is not draining properly, submit a service request for an AC professional to come and look at it.
04. Inspect Compressor Fans
The condenser unit fan is crucial to the AC’s performance since it cools the refrigerant gas. However, if it fails to function properly, the AC stops cooling the room. If you notice an unusual sound emanating from your air conditioner, the condenser unit fan may be to blame. In this scenario, you must immediately contact skilled experts to check for heaviness in the motor or any chips or cracks in the blades.
05. Schedule an Annual Maintenance by AC Professional
This is the most important AC maintenance tip. During the winter, AC remains dormant, leading to the choking of AC coils, filters, and fans. To keep your system up-to-date and to run it efficiently, we recommend having an annual servicing from an experienced technician. Delaying the annual maintenance of an AC results in the blocking of filters and the jamming of oil in the AC coil. AC maintenance professionals are skilled in inspecting and troubleshooting AC problems that may arise with your air conditioner. To ensure optimal performance, service your air conditioner at the recommended intervals.
Tips to Improve Your AC Efficiency
These are some points you should follow to improve your AC efficiency and extend its lifespan.
01. Don’t Set the Temperature Too Low
When you set the temperature too low in the thermostat, the burden on the AC compressor increases. In summer, the ideal temperature for thermal comfort is between 23 to 25 degrees Celsius (73.4 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Setting the temperature too low in summer means giving the AC compressor more load to overcome the temperature difference.
02. Create an Airtight Space
Ensure the proper functioning of doors and windows. Any leakage through the doors and windows can create a cooling loss in the room, resulting in the continuous working of the compressor. Light some incense and carefully go around the house’s exterior walls. If you detect smoke moving away from or being drawn toward anything, there is most likely an air leak somewhere. Now that you’ve located it, seal it!
Avoid any such leakage of air to save power consumption of AC as well as wear and tear of the unit. Insulate the ducts in heated attics or crawl spaces to keep the air cooler. You can use various types of insulating materials to insulate such hot spots in your house.
03. Control Heat Through Windows to Create a Cool Environment
A lot of heat enters the house through windows, especially open ones. Keep blinds or shades closed throughout the day to extend the life of your air conditioning system; you can also build awnings to protect south-facing windows from direct sunlight.
04. Programming the Thermostat
A programmable thermostat is a must-have in today’s air conditioning technology. Programmable thermostats allow you to set temperatures for different times of the day and automatically reduce the temperature when you need it the most, allowing you to save money and manage your cooling without continually checking the dial.
05. Use Fans with Air Conditioner
This is the most popular way to improve your AC’s efficiency. Instead of setting a low temperature, try using a fan with air conditioner at a low rotating speed to circulate the cool air from the AC. According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), using a ceiling fan can make a room feel 10 degrees Celsius (50 degree Fahrenheit) cooler at just 10 percent of the energy of an AC.
Conclusion
If you follow these air conditioner maintenance tips, your AC performance and lifespan will noticeably increase. Overall, establishing a preventative AC maintenance checklist will improve the comfort and safety of your house, guarantee that you breathe cleaner air, extend the life of your system, and save you money on electricity and costly repairs. It is also important to appoint a professional for routine AC service checks, tune-ups, testing, and repairs.
Watch out for these warning signs that tell you that your AC unit needs repair :
Recognizing the Warning Signs: When Your Air Conditioner Needs Repair
Image Courtesy : Image 4
