Preventative Maintenance for Air Conditioners

Keeping your air conditioner maintained not only saves you money on energy, but also saves you money by extending the lifespan of your unit. It’s important to perform regular maintenance procedures on your air conditioner to keep it operating at the highest efficiency. Below are some preventative maintenance measures to regularly perform on your air conditioner to keep it running in tip-top shape.

Remove Debris

Removing debris on a regular basis is an easy way to help your air conditioner last longer. It also keeps it running efficiently. Debris often causes air conditioning units to work at a less efficient rate. Additionally, if left unattended it can cause some larger and more expensive damage. Every couple of weeks check your air conditioning unit and make sure that all of the debris remains cleaned out.

Fin Maintenance

An important part of air conditioner maintenance is cleaning and straightening the fins. When the fins of the air conditioner unit are clogged with debris or bent, the airflow is affected. This results in reducing the air conditioner’s efficiency. To prevent this, remove dirt and debris from the fins regularly. Start by taking a garden hose with a strong stream and spray down the interior of the unit. After you finish cleaning out the fins, you are then better able to gauge whether or not the air conditioner’s fins need to be straightened. To straighten them, carefully take a butter knife or a commercially available fin-straightening tool and gently straighten them out. While you are straightening, make sure not to damage the tubing embedded within the fins. Maintaining your air conditioner’s fins results in a more efficient airflow and a smoother running unit.

Clean Around the Unit

While cleaning the inside of your air conditioner is an important part of preventative maintenance, cleaning the area around the unit is also important. Make sure you rake any leaves or debris surrounding your unit out of the way. Also, cut back any vegetation that surrounds the unit to ensure proper airflow. During the winter time, make sure that you cover your unit to ensure that no debris falls in while it is not being used. This will help it to run properly and be easy to get ready for the hot summer months.

Preventative maintenance for air conditioners helps them last longer and run with higher efficiency. To keep your unit running properly, make sure to regularly remove debris from inside the unit, maintain your air conditioner’s fins, and clean the area surrounding your unit. If you have taken these preventative maintenance steps and you find that your air conditioner unit is still not running at its highest efficiency, call Great Dane Heating and Air. We are HVAC professionals and will have your air conditioner up and running in no time. To schedule your free home estimate, call us at 866-488-DANE.