It doesn’t matter if you have an air conditioning system for your entire home or business premises or if it is just relegated to a single room or space. No matter what size it is, it would help if you remembered not to overwork your system, or it will not last. Most of the central air conditioning systems available in the northeastern or Midwest sections of the country have two standard parts – the outdoor unit or condenser/compressor and the indoor unit or evaporator, which is often found in a duct beside the furnace. There is a proper way to maintain it, and if you would like it to be in tip-top condition, you should have a local service maintain and check it for you annually. But there are some things you can do, too, and here are the essential things to remember to maintain your air conditioning system effectively.
- Remember to clean it regularly – this is the number one rule, as the experts from McNally HVAC would always confirm. The first thing you can do to maintain your unit regularly is to clean it each month or more often if you live in an area with lots of debris and dirt. Pay particular attention to the fins, and clean them with a soft brush. Fins are delicate, and they can easily be crushed or bent, and on many AC units, you would have to unscrew a metal container to get to the fins. It’s a good idea to check the manual to be careful when lifting off the container so as not to bump the fins. If the fins are crushed or bent, you can realign them using a dinner knife – exert a gentle but firm pressure and avoid inserting the knife too deep.
- You can also acquire a programmable thermostat, a must-have for many AC systems. The thermostat is convenient and valuable because it allows you to set your temperature for different times of the day. It even automatically adjusts to the temperature in a room, which lets you save money and not waste energy.
- If your air conditioning unit is noisy and your condenser is new, it is most probably coming from your compressor, which is located outdoors. You can first call the manufacturer to ask them if there is a ‘sound blanket’ for the air conditioner model you have, or you can opt to purchase a universal blanket (you can buy one online) which can drown out the sound. It’s easy to install it, but avoid putting a blanket on an older unit – it is not likely to drown out the noise, which may be coming from the fan.
- Unclog the drain tube. If you notice water forming around the system’s furnace while the air conditioner is running, it is probably from a clogged drain tube. The condensed water from the coils can contain bacteria, which, in turn, can turn into slime and end up clogging the drain tube – so to get rid of the blockage, you would need a large drain hose and some chemical tablets. But, again, if you’re unsure how to deal with it, you can call in an expert service that can also do regular maintenance.
