Air Conditioning Maintenance Tips

For many Australian homes, an air conditioner is a must-have for enduring hot summer days. However, if you want to get the most out of your air conditioner and not waste money, you need to know how to take care of your AC unit. 

Why do maintenance?

It's critical to keep your air conditioning system well maintained for a number of reasons. Firstly, a well-maintained and clean air conditioner can help ensure good air quality inside your home. However, if you let your air con stay dirt, it can spread dust, pollutants and even bacteria around your home. This can be bad for your health as well as for your air con. 

Routinely cleaning and keeping up with all air conditioning maintenance will also help keep your air conditioner running as efficiently as possible. When your air conditioner is dirty or in need of some maintenance, it will need to use more power to achieve the same results. Therefore, doing regular maintenance can save you money.

And further to this, regular maintenance extends the system’s useful life and performance. This is because parts are less likely to wear out prematurely as they aren’t being put under unnecessary stress. 

So, what should you be doing to keep your air con in good condition?

• Replace or clean filters

If you only do one task on this list, make sure it’s this one. Dirty and clogged filters block airflow through the system, meaning it has to work harder to cool your home. Further, dirty filters can transfer dust and dirt to the evaporator coil. This can reduce the coil’s ability to absorb heat, meaning more power is needed to cool your home. 

Refer to the operating manual for your system to find where the filter is located. There should also be instructions on how to clean or replace the filter as necessary. Typically, though, the filter is fairly easy to locate and can be popped off to clean or replace.

Aim to clean any filters every month or two when in use. However, if you’re using the air con constantly, there have been dusty days or you have pets, it’s recommended to clean them more frequently. This is because more dust and dirt is likely to have accumulated through conditions inside and outside, or by continuous use. (more often if constantly used, in dusty conditions or you have pets).

• Clean evaporator coil

As noted above, the evaporator coil is what enables the system to cool air. If this is allowed to get dirty, it can do this job less effectively. One way to keep your evaporator coil clean is to keep the filters clean. However, there may still be times when you need to clean the evaporator coil itself.

For instance, it’s natural for dust and dirt to collect over a period of months, particularly if your system is not being used regularly or the outside unit is surrounded by plants. Therefore, aim to clean your evaporator coil at least once a year. Do so carefully and following any manufacturer instructions.          

• Clean area around condenser coils

Keeping your condenser coils clean is also another way to improve the efficiency of your air conditioning system. However, you should not clean the condenser coils directly. This job should only be done by a professional, as it is very easy to damage the coil fins and internal components or cause refrigerant to leak.

What you can do though is keep the area around your air conditioner unit, including the condenser coils, as clean as possible. Start by removing any debris from the area. You can then trim back any nearby plants. These strategies help to reduce the likelihood of dirt, dust and other foreign particles from interfering with the condenser coils.

• Hire professional to check and test other components

While some air conditioning cleaning and maintenance tasks you can do yourself, there are others that should be left to professionals. Most air conditioning repair services also offer maintenance and cleaning services. 

As part of maintenance and cleaning services, they should: 

• Electrical components
• Air flow
• Refrigerant
• Coils and fins
• Thermostat accuracy

If you have any concerns, now is the time to ask a professional. You may have noticed issues with your system, like strange noises or reduced effectiveness. A clean may be the solution or repairs may need to be made. 

Use the tips above to guide you when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your air conditioner. Follow them and you’ll find that your air conditioner is better able to cope with the demands of hot summer days.