Maintenance Checklist for Air Conditioners

While many would normally prefer going for professional maintenance, this kind of routine is very expensive and sometimes ineffective. It is possible to perform the maintenance yourself if you know a bit of the technical know hows, and if you remember this checklist of maintenance.

1) Coils and Filters. Firstly, turn off the power and unplug your appliance. Next, disassemble the filters to clean them. This can be done by dousing the filters, front and back, with a phenol solution. It can also be done with any detergent mixed in hot water. All dirt, dust particles, mold formations and contamination by insects should be removed from the filters.

2) Chemical Cleaning. One has to make sure the coils of your unit remain clean. Dusty coils block the airflow and reduce the efficiency to start with, and might cause short circuit fires when unchecked for a long duration. But most of the users, and some servicemen too, vacuum the coils of the air conditioner in the name of cleaning. The coils of an air conditioner are home to a number of depositions created by the gaseous chemicals and fluids that are used as coolants. Vacuuming the coils sets these deposits free, thus causing them to mix with the air we breathe. When inhaled, these deposits and air borne particles, settle down in our lungs, causing chronic breathing problems. Chemical cleaning is one of the most harmless methods for cleaning the coils of your air conditioner. But make sure the chemicals you use are attested by recognized national laboratories, or you run the risk of the poor quality chemical’s vapors mixing with the air, and causing more problems than the ones you have been facing.

3) Rusting. Rusting is known to the cancer of iron and steel. It is one of the biggest problems when it comes to pipes due to the amount of fluid flow they see through their life time. All pipes have to be oiled and painted beforehand to avoid rusting, and those that are rusted beyond reason have to be replaced.

4) Why Maintenance. This is often overlooked, and is one of the most important aspects of going energy efficient. Properly cleaned air conditioners not only reduce risk of chronic breathing disorders, but also improves the air flow, thus improving the efficiency. Also, get your system serviced by a professional at-least once every 18 months to avoid long term problems.