Dust Cleaning in AC
An air conditioner is an essential appliance that keeps our homes cool during those warmer or hotter days of the year. Air conditioner cleaning is vital to maintain its efficiency and longevity. Regular air filter cleaning and AC maintenance can help prevent common AC problems and keep your indoor environment comfortable and healthy. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to clean your air conditioner, including its filter, tips on keeping your outdoor unit in good health, and other tasks that are best left to a trained service technician, like coil cleaning.
An introduction to air conditioner cleaning
A clean air conditioner ensures that the unit functions properly, reduces energy consumption, and prolongs its lifespan. This guide will provide air conditioner maintenance tips, and common mistakes to avoid during the cleaning process.
Overview of the air conditioning cleaning process
The cleaning process for air conditioners involves several steps. This AC maintenance checklist includes cleaning the air filters, and the best way to approach maintaining coils, blower motor, and fan blades.
Make sure to turn off the power of the unit before starting the cleaning process to avoid any electrical accidents.
It’s important to note that while you can perform many of these tasks, it is always best to get a trained service technician to perform regular maintenance on your air conditioning unit, this can save you money in the long run. A qualified technician can identify any potential problems and fix them before they become major issues. So, while cleaning and maintenance yourself can be helpful in keeping your unit in good condition, it’s always a good idea to rely on a professional for more complex tasks and regular upkeep. It’s worth noting that in some countries, and depending on the type of air conditioner, regular checks up a professional are mandatory.
Cleaning solution for air conditioner servicing
A mild detergent mixed with water is suitable for cleaning most air conditioner components. You can also purchase specialized cleaning solutions for AC cleaning from your local home improvement store.
If you prefer a more natural solution, you can also make a DIY cleaning solution using water, vinegar, and baking soda. Mix one cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda in a gallon of water. This solution can be used to clean the air filters, coils, and drain pan.
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is great for removing dirt and debris from the unit. Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove dirt and debris from the air filters, coils and fan blades.
Soft brush
An additional hand held brush is useful for hard to reach and sensitive areas, such as coils. By using a soft-bristled brush, you can avoid damaging the delicate parts of the unit.
Now that we have an idea of the tools you’ll need, let’s take a look at the different components that require cleaning and how to do it:
How to Clean Air Filters in Your Air Conditioner
Filters (also known as pre-filters) are an important component of air conditioners that trap dust, dirt, and debris to prevent big particles from entering and damaging the indoor unit. Some air conditioners, such as airHome and many Hitachi air conditioners, also include air purifying filters. These extra filters are dedicated to improve the indoor air quality of the room, as they can trap finer particles and/or inhibits pollutants thanks to their coating. Cleaning air filters is a vital step in AC maintenance, because when these air filters is clogged, the cooling capacity of the AC decreases and it might consume more energy to provide the same cooling output as before.
We recommend cleaning filters before the start of the cooling or heating season and then inspecting and cleaning the filters every 2 weeks during these seasons. However, it’s always best to consult your AC’s user manual for individual recommendations.
For air purifying filters, it is recommended to clean them every month and, even better, change them yearly for consistent efficiency. Not all air purifying filters are washable. If that is the case, then only remove any dirt gently with a vacuum cleaner.
To clean your clogged AC filters, follow these steps:
Turn off the power to the unit.
Locate and remove the air filter, which is typically behind a grille or cover.
Use a soft-bristled brush or vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and debris from the air filter.
If the filters are washable, gently clean and rinse the air filter using a gentle cleaning solution. Water should not be above 40˚C to avoid filter shrinking.
Allow the air filter to dry completely in a shaded spot out of the sun to avoid damage before reinserting them into the unit.
On the other hand, If the filters are not washable or are damaged, be sure to replace them with new filters.
A large number of air conditioners, including our latest generation air Home series, inform the users when it’s time to clean the filter by a symbol appearing on the remote controllers. Other series, like Takeshi, a model available in India, have a small LED light lighting up on the surface of the indoor unit as a filter cleaning reminder.
Coils and Air conditioning cleaning
Coils are crucial components of air conditioners responsible for transferring heat. There are two types of coils in an air conditioner: evaporator coils and condenser coils.
What are coils in air conditioners?
Coils are the heat exchanging component of air conditioners that transfer heat between the air and the refrigerant gas (refrigerant gas is circulating between indoor and outdoor units). During cooling operation, the evaporator coils (inside the indoor unit) transfers heat from the indoor air to the refrigerant gas, while the condenser coils (inside the outdoor unit) releases the heat to the outside. Over time, these coils can become clogged, reducing their efficiency, and causing the unit to work harder, which will ultimately affect your energy costs.
How to clean evaporator coils
To help keep the evaporator coils clean, the exclusive FrostWash technology, available with many models of Residential Air Conditioners, can do it for you automatically. Learn more about FrostWash here. However, if your air conditioner does not have FrostWash, it is best to consult a professional as this is a delicate job. These are the general steps that are taken to clean a unit’s coils:
Turn off the power to your air conditioner.
Locate the evaporator coils, which are typically found inside the indoor unit or air handler.
Carefully remove the access panel or cover to expose the coils.
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment to remove dust and debris from the coils gently.
Apply a no-rinse coil cleaner or a mild detergent and water solution to the coils, allowing it to sit for a few minutes.
If necessary, use a soft brush to gently scrub any stubborn dirt.
Wipe the area with a clean cloth and replace the access panel or cover.
How to clean and maintain the outdoor unit
Depending on the location of the outdoor unit, this is a task best done by a professional. However, if you have clear access to the unit here are the tasks that are safe to do:
Clean the outer casing of the unit to remove any buildup of dirt
Make sure the air outlet is not obstructed by plants, dirt or debris to clear the way for the unit to operate effectively
If the fan or coils require cleaning, again, this is best left to a professional to do to avoid any potential damage to the unit. On air conditioning systems, some models feature DuraSpin functionality to rotate the fan in reverse direction, so accumulated dust can detach from the fan blades
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