How the Homeowner Can Help With Air Conditioner Maintenance

If you haven’t scheduled your annual air conditioner maintenance, it’s high time to do so. A trained technician should inspect your equipment and perform some standard tasks, such as checking the refrigerant charge and the electrical settings on the motors, as well as testing controls, airflow and thermostat settings. While you’re waiting for the technician to arrive, here are some important air conditioner maintenance tasks that you can perform.

Filter Change

Are you checking and changing the air filter often? You should, especially if you have pets or a high volume of traffic in your home. Inexpensive fiberglass filters should be changed at least once a month. With a pleated, polyester or cotton filter, you may go as long as three months, depending on the conditions in your home. Dirt buildup on your air filter will slow airflow.

Condensate Drain

Drain lines get clogged and can cause condensation to back up and result in flooding in the home. If you suspect your drain line has a clog, attach the hose of a wet/dry vacuum to the opening of the outdoor section of the drain line, wrapping a shop rag around the hose and drain opening to hold them tightly in place. Remove the paper or cloth filter, and turn the vacuum on a minute or so to dislodge the clog. Then pour bleach into the A/C access hole located near the indoor unit of the air conditioner to prevent clogs. You can also use a stiff wire in the condensate drain channels to dislodge clogs.

Obstructions

All obstructions within 2 feet of the outdoor condenser unit should be removed. That includes grass clippings, leaves, debris, weeds and tree limbs. Coils Check the evaporator coil indoors and the condenser coil outdoors. Clean with foaming cleanser as needed. Straighten aluminum fins with a fin comb.

At Sobieski Services, Inc. our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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