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Air Conditioning Maintenance
Performance Enhancers
You count on your home's air conditioning to keep your family
sweat-free in summer. Your systems demand little of you, except
for minor cleaning and occasional preventive maintenance. Home comfort experts offer these helpful insights relative to maintaining your home systems.
Air Conditioning System
For your air conditioner to operate efficiently and effectively
over its years of service, the filters, coils and fins must be maintained
regularly. Neglecting this maintenance will result in steadily declining
performance, and steadily increasing energy usage.
Filters
Perform the following maintenance on your filters:
- The most important thing you can do to keep your air conditioner
operating efficiently is to routinely replace or clean its filter(s).
Clogged, dirty filters restrict normal airflow, which can cause
unfiltered air to carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil.
Dirty evaporator coils absorb less heat, prevent the air conditioner
from working properly, and can cause the compressor or fans to
fail prematurely.
- Replace or clean your air conditioner's filter(s) every month
or two during the cooling season. You may need to check the filters
more often if your system is used constantly, operates in dusty
conditions, or if you have pets in the house.
- Find your filters somewhere along the length if the return duct.
Common filter locations are within walls, ceilings, furnaces,
or in the air conditioner itself.
- Some types of filters are reusable; others must be replaced.
They can be found in a variety of types and efficiencies.
Air conditioner coils
Your air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil also
collect dirt with time in service. While changing filters regularly
minimizes the amount, the evaporator coil still collects dirt. This
reduces airflow and insulates the coil, decreasing its ability to
absorb heat. The evaporator coil should be cleaned by a professional
technician during annual air conditioning maintenance.
Outside condenser coils will also become dirty depending on the
conditions. If it's dusty outside or there is foliage nearby, look
at the condenser coil's fins to see if they are collecting dirt.
Here are some things you can do to minimize the dirt and debris
near your air conditioner's condenser unit:
- Keep an eye out for dirt and debris from dryer vents, falling
leaves, and lawn mower clippings.
- Clean the area around the coil, removing any debris.
- Trim foliage back at least two feet to allow for adequate air
flow around the condenser.
Coil fins
The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily
bent, which can block airflow through the coil. Air conditioning
contractors sell a tool call a "fin comb" that will comb these fins
back into nearly original condition.
Air ducts
For your central air conditioning system to be efficient, ducts
must be airtight. It's been estimated that 10% to 30% of the air
conditioned air in a typical system escapes from supply ducts or
when hot attic air leaks into return ducts, wasting energy.
It is advisable to hire a professional service technician, who
has the proper experience and equipment, to detect and correct duct
leaks. The old standby of using duct tape to seal ducts is not really
effective.
Obstructions
Make sure that the flow of air from supply or return registers
is not obstructed by furniture, draperies or tightly fitted interior
doors. Obstructions can impair efficiency as much as leaks.
Professional Maintenance of Your Air Conditioner
A competent, well-trained technician will identify trouble spots
and fix problems, and perform the following maintenance tasks:
- Check for refrigerant temperatures and pressures for proper level.
- Measure compressor amp draws to ensure your system is using
the right amount of electricity.
- Test high voltage at your outdoor disconnect box to make sure
the input voltage is adequate.
- Inspect and tighten high-voltage connections to help prevent
failure of circuit protectors.
- Level and calibrate your thermostat to ensure accurate and optimal performance.
- Inspect refrigerant fittings to be sure you are not losing expensive refrigerant.
- Lubricate indoor and outdoor motors so your motor runs cooler and smoother.
- Check wiring at furnace for loose connections to protect electronic components from excess heat.
- Tighten blower bolts and inspect fan to make sure your system is blowing as much cold air as possible.
- Inspect and clean or replace air filters to improve performance
and keep the air you breath clean.
- Inspect and adjust blower belt if applicable to help the belts
last longer and perform more efficiently.
- Inspect condensation drain to ensure the drain is clear.
- Test temperature split between supplies and return ducts.
- Check clearances around condenser to protect it from plants and shrubs.
- Chemically clean the condenser coil for better performance and
a longer life.
- Scrub condenser surfaces to prevent corrosion that can shorten condenser life.
- Tighten screws on condenser and check balance to help lower noise levels.
- Check compressor noise level.
- Inspect breaker for condensing unit to avoid excessive heat
and early system failures.
- Tighten refrigerant access fittings.
- Visually inspect inside ducting for dirt and mold so you can keep it out of your air supply.
- Inspect ducting and connections for air loss.
To ensure your air conditioning and heating systems operate most efficiently, schedule an air conditioning tune-up with a professional.
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