A How to Guide to Keeping Your Air Conditioning Clean and Efficient

Spring seems to have come earlier than expected in Georgia. With that being said, who’s up for some spring cleaning? It’s not something we get all that excited about either but it’s important to keep your house and all its parts clean. That includes your air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins, which require regular maintenance in order for the unit to function efficiently for years to come. The U.S. Department of Energy provides tips on how to maintain your air conditioning clean so its performance isn’t affected. Here are a few ways to help improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.

To ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner, it’s important to maintain it and to replace or clean the filters every so often because dirty filters block normal airflow and can significantly reduce your system’s efficiency. With the obstruction of normal airflow, air that passes through the filter may carry dirt into the evaporator coil and limits the coil’s heat-absorbing capacity. Plus, you can lower your energy use by up to 15% just by replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one.

For central air conditioning units, common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself while room air conditioners have a filter in the grill that faces into the room.

Although some types of filters are reusable, others must be replaced but there are different types. How often should you clean or replace your air conditioning system’s filter or filters? Once a month or two during cooling season. Just keep in mind that filters may need more attention if the air conditioner is being used often, or if you have fur-bearing pets in the house.

The air conditioner’s evaporator coil and condenser coil pick up dirt over a period of months and years. Therefore, a clean filter can prevent the evaporator coil from soiling quickly. However, this does not mean that the evaporator coil will not collect dirt but there is a way to avoid the issue of reducing its ability to absorb heat. All you must do is check your evaporator coil yearly and clean it if necessary.

Something else to look out for is your outdoor condenser coils, which can become dirty if there is foliage close by. The good thing is that you can easily notice if dirt is collecting on its fins.

You should minimize dirt and debris such as dryer vents and falling leaves, for instance, by cleaning the area around the coil, removing the debris, and trimming foliage back at least 2 feet to offer adequate airflow around the condenser.

The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and, as a result, can block airflow through the coil. There’s a tool called a “fin comb” that will comb these fins back into working condition.

You should sporadically pass a stiff wire through the unit’s drain channels. Why? Well, clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the excess moisture can possibly discolor your walls or carpet.

You should sporadically pass a stiff wire through the unit’s drain channels. Why? Well, clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the excess moisture can possibly discolor your walls or carpet.

When your air conditioner needs regular maintenance, we recommend that you hire a professional service technician such as one of our guys at Home Comfort Solutions.

So remember, be proactive and maintain your air conditioning system as clean as a whistle so you can avoid hefty repair costs later. And if it’s something you rather leave to the professionals to do, just call us at Home Comfort Solutions in Northeast Georgia. We can help you save money and time.

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