How To Clean An Air Conditioner
Each and every winter your air conditioner builds up dirt and debris around the coils. The buildup over time can begin to affect the productivity of the unit itself and make it work that much harder to reach the temperatures set at the thermostat. Cleaning the unit is advisable with the change of each and every season just to keep it cleaning. Cleaning the unit is simple and can be done by following these simple steps.
1 - The first step is to cut the power to the air conditioning unit at the electrical panel inside the house. Locate the breaker that is labeled "air conditioner" and push the breaker into the off position. This will prevent you from potentially getting electrocuted while working on the unit.
2 - Put on a pair of gloves and safety glasses and wear them throughout the rest of the procedure. The glasses will prevent debris from coming up and shooting into your eyes when it comes off the unit itself. The gloves will prevent your hands from getting dirty while you clean the unit.
3 - With the power off, start by clearing all the debris that is around the unit, including all the weeds or debris. These can get sucked inside the unit and can impede the working order of the unit by causing damage to the unit.
4 - Take a simple garden house and on a medium pressure setting spray out the coils at the back of the unit. For tough dirt and debris that won't come off you can use a soft scrub brush on the back of the coils to loosen it and then spray it away. Make sure that the brush bristles are not too hard, as they could cause damage to the coils and the unit.
5 - After letting the unit air dry, go back to the electrical unit inside the house and turn the power back on by pushing the breaker back to the on position. The unit should immediately begin to fire up and kick back in bringing the house back up to the cool temperature set at the thermostat.
If the unit does not power back on or does not get to the correct temperature, then you should contact a local air conditioner repair technician like Bill's Heating & Air Conditioning. A professional repair person can take apart the unit and diagnose any mechanical issues that might be preventing the unit from working properly.