How to Clean Your Air Conditioner
We rely on our air conditioning systems to keep us cool in summer and warm in winter. Regularly cleaning your air conditioner is crucial to maintain efficiency and improve the indoor air quality of your home, helping to protect the health of you and your loved ones. In this blog post, we provide tips on how to clean your home air conditioning system and general maintenance tips to help keep your air conditioner running smoothly.
Why should you clean your air conditioner?
According to Healthy Building Systems Australia, up to 50% of illnesses are a result of poor indoor air quality. Air conditioners are a paradise for bateria, mould, fungi, pet hair, dust, smoke, pathogens and viruses. By regularly cleaning and servicing your air conditioning system, you will be taking steps to improve the health of yourself and your loved ones. You can read more about the importance of indoor air quality here.
Having a dirty, clogged up air conditioner system also impacts the efficiency and lifecycle of the system and increases risks of fire and critical breakdowns. Regular servicing of your air conditioner can improve system efficiency and energy-efficiency.
How to clean air your conditioner
Most modern air conditioning systems have self-cleaning functions. But it’s a good idea to conduct a proper hands-on clean every year to remove the dirt and dust that builds up over time.
Before you attempt any cleaning work, ensure the air conditioner is switched off – at the wall and in the outside electric box.
Please note, the following steps are suitable for cleaning split system air conditioners. Cleaning ducted air conditioners is a more complex job that requires the help of professionals.
The Outside Unit
- Use a broom to remove any large chunks of dirt, spiderwebs and leaves on and around the outside of the unit
- Clean the condenser fins (metallic blades) surrounding the unit, using a vacuum cleaner
- Remove the fan and clean the inside of the unit with warm water
If you notice the fan blades inside the unit are bent, you can attempt to straighten them out yourself with a butter knife, however we recommend calling a professional to prevent further damage and risk of personal injury.
The Inside Unit
- Place an air conditioner bag under the unit
- Remove the filters, wash in warm water and let it dry
- Spray the coils and blades with a coil cleaner and leave for 20mins
- Rinse off the cleaner with a water spray
- Run the air conditioner and wait until all the water from the unit runs onto the bag
General Maintenance Tips
After you’ve conducted a thorough clean of your air conditioner, here are a few things you can do to keep it clean and working to optimum efficiency:
- Spray an anti-bacterial spray on all components that have been cleaned, including the filters, fan coil, drip pan and tube.
- Clean the unit’s drop channels with a wire or pipe cleaner to remove any obstructions
In addition, there are a number of steps you can take throughout the year to ensure your air conditioner is in tip top condition.
Every Use
If your air conditioner has a ‘dry out’ function, run it after every use to remove moisture, prevent mould and foul odors.
Bi-anually
Clean and/or replace the dust filters and wipe down the unit with a damp cloth to remove dust. At the beginning of summer and just before heating in winter are great opportunities to do this. When it comes time to replace the filters, make sure you purchase filters that are specifically designed for your air conditioner make and model.
Annually
Conduct a deep clean of the outdoor and indoor units, as outlined above.
Professional Air Conditioning Cleaning
Professional air conditioner cleaning from a licensed tradesperson offers a more comprehensive clean, that keeps your air conditioner running smoothly for longer.
As part of NewAge Air’s deep cleaning service, our specialists:
- Safely and securely clean your air conditioning unit
- Diagnose any faults with the system
- Recommend any further servicing or new parts
- Conduct repairs of leaky ducts, if required
- Check refrigerant gas levels
- Test the thermostat
- Make sure all internal components are in good working order
If you notice a strange smell or leaks coming from the air conditioner, call us immediately. If you notice that the air conditioner no longer cools or heats like it used to or it starts pumping out less air, give us a call and we can send out someone to inspect the system.
Regularly cleaning your air conditioning system is important to improve system efficiency and energy-efficiency. By removing dust particles, pollutants, mould, bacteria and viruses you’re also helping to protect the health of you and your loved ones.
The experts at NewAge Air have been conducting air conditioning deep cleaning in Newcastle, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and the Hunter Valley for over 30 years. We’re your local trusted air conditioning specialists providing expert advice and quality, reliable servicing. Contact us today for a free quote!