Take Care To Maintain Your Air Conditioner

Maintaining your air conditioning unit will keep it running more efficiently and minimize the amount of breakdowns that can occur on the hottest of summer days. So have your system inspected; it could prolong its use.
The condenser unit is located outside the house and is prone to accumulate dirt and debris from trees, lawn moving, and airborne dust. And, if you are along the shore line, beach sand is also a culprit.
The condenser has a fan that moves air across the condenser coil. You must clean the condenser coil on the intake side, so, before you turn off the power to the unit, check to see which direction the air moves across the coils.
To clean the condenser, you will need grass shears or pruners, a spray bottle of coil cleaner, soft brush, fin comb, carpenter’s level, a pry bar or a piece of 2 x 4 or gravel or rocks.
First, cut down any grass, weeds, or vines that have grown around the condenser. Also, if you are a shore line homeowner, you may want to move any beach sand away from the unit; all of these things can obstruct air flow.
Secondly, clean the condenser with commercial coil cleaner, available at appliance parts stores. Instructions for use are included. Flush coil clean with a bucket of water, let dry.
Next, Clean fins with soft brush to remove accumulated dirt. You may have to remove protective grille to reach them.
Do not clean fins with high PSI water, such as a PSI washer, as high water pressure could damage the fins. Clean fins very carefully using a light water spray only to flush out debris and cleaner.
Fins are made of light-gauge aluminum and are easily damaged. If fins are bent, straighten them with fin comb, sold at most appliance parts stores. A fin comb is designed to slide into spaces between fins. Be careful to avoid damaging the fins.
Finally, check the concrete pad on which the condenser rests to make sure it’s level. Set carpenter’s level front to back and side to side on top of unit. If the pad has settled, lift pad with pry bar or piece of 2 x 4, then force gravel or rocks under concrete to level it.
During the fall and winter, outside condenser units should be protected from tree foliage and other debris. You could use a protective cover, available from the manufacturer.
On another note, as the weather heats up and the days lengthen, your central air conditioner shifts from being the forgotten device to a major player in your household. Since it seems that air conditioners only break on the hottest summer days, it is best to regularly maintain it and avoid any unnecessary breakdowns.
—Submitted by Michelle Badame from Nick Badame Refrigeration, Inc.