Last Updated on January 3, 2022 by Kravelv
To escape the summer heat, many people decide to buy an air conditioner. It cools and filters the air, cleans it of harmful impurities. With it, you can not suffer from stuffiness, and enjoy the coolness and a comfortable microclimate.
For conditioner could serve you for a long time, you should take care of it properly because the wrong exploitation could bring to a breakdown soon. It is necessary to provide the right technical service: to clean filters and heat-exchanger, humidity control, to prevent freon leakage, to prepare the device for changing a season. The quality and life of its work directly depend on how to follow these rules.
We will tell you how to properly take care of the air conditioner, what difficulties can arise and how to solve them, and most importantly, how to do it at home.
Clean the filter of the indoor unit
The indoor unit filter is a special mesh under the front panel of the air conditioner, through which the air is sucked in. It is needed to prevent the unit from clogging and dust from getting into it. Gradually, dust accumulates on the grid and starts to interfere with the evaporator. The air in the room is less cool, there is an unpleasant smell and noise. In addition, temperature control is disturbed. It may lead to more serious problems – to ice buildup on the evaporator and air conditioner breakdown.
That’s why filters need to be cleaned periodically. The frequency depends on the room in which the air conditioner is installed, how much dust and dirt is in the air.
It is not difficult to do it. You need to open the lid of the air conditioner and pull out the filters. How to properly disconnect the part, read in the manual for the specific model. After that it is necessary to wash the filter with a water jet, and better to soak it for 5-10 minutes in a soapy solution, and then thoroughly dry and reattach it.
Clean the heat exchanger
Periodically, you should clean the heat exchanger of the air conditioner. It is located under the cover or the filters of the unit. If you don’t clean it regularly, it’s fraught with the same problems as a clogged filter.
To clean the radiator, you need to open and remove the front grille of the air conditioner, remove the filters, use a brush or vacuum cleaner to clean the fins of the heat exchanger. It is necessary to act carefully so as not to damage the device and not to cut yourself on sharp edges. You can also buy special disinfectant solutions and sprays, which should be sprayed on the radiator, leave for a few minutes and remove the residue. You should not use aggressive solvents or detergents.
It is better to clean the heat exchanger at least once a year for its proper operation.
Take care of the outdoor unit
In addition to all the activities for the indoor unit, you also need to take care of cleaning the outdoor unit. Manufacturers of air conditioners recommend maintenance at least once a year, but it is more reasonable to clean the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit twice: in spring, before the beginning of active use, and at the beginning of summer – after the period of poplar fuzz.
When cleaning, you should disconnect the grid, treat the internal parts with a vacuum cleaner to pull out all the dust and wipe them with a damp cloth.
If you can’t clean the unit yourself, it’s better to call in specialists who can climb up with a tower and thoroughly do all the work.
Prevent Freon Leak
One of the reasons why an air conditioner can fail is a freon leak. Freon is used as a cooling agent, and because of its properties, manufacturers allow that a small amount will inevitably leak out. This is a normal occurrence. In this case, you should do a routine topping up once a year during maintenance by a service center technician.
However, if the leakage is big, the freon level decreases, and the compressor can overheat or even break during the operation. The compressor is rather expensive, and its replacement is not so easy, so it is better to follow its condition for the sake of the long work of the conditioner.
The first signs of a critical leak are frost and ice on the outdoor unit, where the copper tubes are connected. A leak can also be indicated by poor air cooling.
Prepare for summer
Every spring, you should check the unit’s operation in all modes and clean the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit. For this purpose, you can contact a service center.
In this way, the air conditioner will work even longer.