Air conditioners offer the first line of defense against the heat outside, so maintenance should be a top priority.
An air conditioner’s filters, coils and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently. Neglecting maintenance ensures a steady decline in performance while energy use increases. Although many homeowners and apartment dwellers rely on qualified service engineers to address maintenance issues, a resident can attend to an air conditioner’s proper operation. Here is an overview of three key areas of maintenance, according to the Department of Energy.Air conditioner filters: Routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a system’s efficiency significantly. With normal airflow obstructed, air that bypasses the filter may carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil’s heat-absorbing capacity. Filters are located somewhere along the return duct’s length. Common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces or in the air conditioner itself. Some types of filters are reusable; others must be replaced. Air conditioner coils: Evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over time. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling quickly, but the evaporator coil will still collect dirt, reducing airflow and limiting the coils’ ability to absorb heat. Check the evaporator every year and clean it as necessary. Outdoors condenser coils can likewise become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. You can minimize dirt and debris near the condenser unit by cleaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least 2 feet. Coil fins: The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block airflow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a “fin comb” that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition.