How to Clean Your Air Conditioner and Stay Cool This Summer

Cleaning Your AC For Summer

Have you noticed your integral central air conditioning unit working harder these days? It's time to give it some attention in the cleaning department. Keep in mind that an air conditioner stays outside, exposed to the elements, leaves, dust, bugs, etc. That's why it's essential to clean your air conditioner.

We recommend that you fully clean your air conditioner at least once per year. You should clean it thoroughly at the start of spring to get rid of accumulated dirt and grime. And just as fall nears its end, give your AC a minor touch-up to keep it clean during winter. Why is it important to clean your AC, you may ask. Well, you will ensure your AC runs as efficiently as possible, which, in turn, lowers your utility bills. Additionally, an efficiently running AC does not overwork, which means parts will not wear down quickly.

While being vital, cleaning your AC can be a daunting task. It isn't as easy as wiping your floor, cleaning your bathroom, or dusting your living room. It's a more involved task. If you're interested in professional AC cleaning, make an appointment with Furnace Repair Calgary today!

However, if you want to DIY your way to an efficiently running AC, here is a trusted step-by-step guide to clean your Air Conditioner.

Related: MERV Rating Explained

Turn off Your AC

Shutting down your AC is the first and most crucial step to take. A typical AC uses a high voltage power supply running at 220 or 240-volts. It can be pretty dangerous if you're not careful.

To cut power from your AC, start by turning it off at the thermostat. The second step is to go to the circuit breaker box and turn off the breaker connecting to your AC outlet. Shutting down the AC at the circuit breaker ensures no electricity flows to your AC. And it is safe to open up.

Open AC Unit 

Your AC should be closed up pretty well to protect its components from the elements. To this end, open the door on your outdoor AC blower, giving you access to the evaporator coils. With some AC make and models, you need to remove the foil duct tape before unscrewing the screws that secure the door in place.

Please note that opening doing this yourself may void your warranty. Only proceed if you've confirmed that opening this part of your AC will not void your warranty.

Clean Your Air Conditioner's Coils: Three Alternatives 

AC evaporator coils are responsible for the actual cooling you experience in your home. Typically, the coils consist of copper. They absorb the heat inside your home and produce the cool that the AC supplies into your home's ductwork.

Evaporator coils are an essential component of the evaporation process. Water condenses on the evaporator coil during humid conditions, extracting moisture from your home. This component plays a vital role in keeping the coils clean. Dirty coils can consume 30% more energy compared to clean coils.

After opening the unit's door, you can access the evaporator coils. There are different ways you can clean the AC coils. We'll discuss all of the options you have. It would help if you also had the following tools:

- Coil cleaner spray (readily available at many hardware stores)

- Warm water and dish soap

- A soft brush to dust off coils

- Compressed air for the harder-to-reach crevasses

Evaporator Coil Cleaning Option #1: Using Brush Cleaning 

If your Ac's evaporator coils are relatively clean, you can opt to use a soft brush for the cleaning process. Ensure you use a soft-bristled brush that doesn't scratch the coils. However, the bristles should be firm enough to extract any grime and debris that's stuck in the coils.

Use a back-and-forth motion to remove all the dirt and debris until it's clean.

Evaporator Coil Cleaning Option #2: Air Compressor Cleaning

You can remove dirt and debris from the evaporator coils with an air compressor. The powerful compressed air is effective yet safe. Direct the air compressor nozzle from the clean side to the dirty side. Additionally, ensure you maintain consistent air pressure for the compressed air to be adequate.

Ensure you wear eye protection.

Evaporator Coil Cleaning Option #3: Warm Water and Detergent

A mixture of standard dish soap and warm water will work well to remove grime from your coil. Add the detergent-warm water to a spray bottle and then apply it to your coils.

Let the mixture sit for a little while before scrubbing the grime. Giving the solution some time to settle allows it to break up the debris. After scouring the grime, rinse any soapy water that remains.

After cleaning the coils, it's time to tackle the rest of the AC.

Inspect the Drain Plug

The drain plug allows the air conditioner to dehumidify your home during humid days. Without regular cleaning, it clogs up from mould and algae growth.

Most modern AC units come with a sensor to detect any clog. As such, they shut down until the clog is cleared, thereby protecting your AC. However, older AC will continue to operate, causing water to drip through the ceiling and vents as the water has nowhere else to go. If you have water dripping from your vents ceiling, you should immediately turn your AC off and call an HVAC technician.

To unclog a drain plug:

1. Locate the drip pan at the bottom of the AC.
2. Slide it out and extract the water using a wet/dry vacuum.
3. If you have access to a compressor, use it instead.

It's more powerful and effective.

If the air compressor cannot force the debris from the drip pan, it's time to call professional help.

Clean The Area Around Your Air Conditioning Unit 

Hose down the dirt and cobwebs outside of the unit. Dirt, grime, cobwebs, anything that attaches to the AC unit might obstruct airflow, causing your AC to work inefficiently.

Remember to inspect around the base of the AC unit. Dirt can settle underneath the unit, lifting a part of the unit. An unlevel AC can cause damage, resulting in expensive repairs down the road.

Replace Your AC Filters

The final cleaning AC task is to replace the filter. You should replace these filters every three months, especially if your dog sheds a lot.

If you have a ductless mini-split AC, you can vacuum its filter and soak it to remove debris.

Clean Your Air Conditioner Today

It would help if you were diligent about cleaning your AC twice a year. Otherwise, the dirt and grime that find their way into the AC system will damage the unit, causing costly repairs and reducing the life expectancy.

If you have skipped the cleaning task and the dirt and grime in the AC are bad, consider calling an HVAC professional to give it a proper cleaning.For professional AC maintenance and cleaning, contact Furnace Repair Calgary today.

https://furnace-repair-calgary.ca/how-to-clean-your-air-conditioner-and-stay-cool-this-summer/

Why Routine Cleaning is Critical to Air Conditioning Maintenance

Why You Need AC Cleaning

As days become sunnier, hotter, and longer, air conditioners across the country must come alive to offer necessary cooling. Millions of households in Canada rely on air conditioning in the summer. However, AC units cannot work efficiently without a bit of care and attention. That's why routine cleaning is critical to air conditioning maintenance.

Regular cleaning can help ensure that your cooling unit works optimally and your indoor air quality is pristine at all times. Your air conditioner will serve you diligently for many years if you are serious about AC cleaning and maintenance.

Here are some reasons why cleaning your air conditioning system is essential for AC maintenance.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Pollen, dust, dirt, grease, and other contaminants are every air conditioner's worst nightmare. Moreover, they tend to build up over time within the cooling unit itself, clogging important components like coils and filters.

Accumulated debris also provides food for bacteria and fungi that live in warm environments with ample moisture. As airborne particles settle down upon surfaces, they also act as catalysts for the development of mould spores. Besides reducing your air quality, these contaminants pose health risks. It may range from minor allergies to asthma attacks and respiratory infections.

Cleaning an AC system helps reduce airborne contaminants. They may be hiding in gaps around the coils, around the ducts, and inside the evaporator and condenser.

Maintain AC Efficiency

Dirty air conditioners tend to lose considerable efficiency. It means that they use much more energy than usual to perform their cooling functions. Regular AC cleaning helps improve indoor air quality, reduces energy, and boosts performance.

Unclogged cooling coils ensure that air passes through the unit more efficiently, with less resistance. As a result, it promotes improved airflow and reduces wear and tear of all components.

Clean evaporator and condenser fins allow your cooling system to exchange heat with outdoor air. It reduces the load on compressors and fans. The result is enhanced cooling power and improved performance.

Prevent AC Breakdowns

Dirty components, clogged coils, and malfunctioning fans are a recipe for trouble in your cooling system. As a result, they contribute to breakdowns that can be costly to fix or replace.

Inspections by licensed technicians uncover issues with poor airflow early on. It allows you to address them before they create more significant problems. Poor AC maintenance and cleaning can also cause electrical issues. Therefore, it's crucial to hire a professional for tune-ups and inspections.

Protect the AC Warranty

Manufacturers of cooling units offer warranties against defects in materials for between 1 and 10 years. The exact warranty period varies from product to product and manufacturer to manufacturer.

Keeping your air conditioner clean and in good working order helps protect the warranty, reducing the risk of defects. That means you can enjoy factory-approved cooling power for longer without shelling out big bucks for high repair bills.

Maintain Healthy Lungs

Your HVAC system acts as your home's respiratory system, especially if you have a duct network with central AC and an air furnace. Maintaining your HVAC system is crucial to keep it working in good condition. Otherwise, dust will inevitably build up in the system. As a result, it may lower its efficiency and distribute the dust through the house and straight into your respiratory system.

How to Maintain Your AC System

You can follow the tips highlighted below to keep your HVAC system running smoothly and efficiently:

• Clean or change out the air filters in your AC every month, or at whichever interval the unit's manufacturer specifies. Replacing filters is a simple task requiring no technical knowledge or expertise. When the filters get clogged with dirt and dust, the air conditioner uses more energy and works harder. Moreover, that debris ends up getting circulated throughout the house. As a result, it lowers air quality and aggravating respiratory illnesses and allergies among your family members.

• Clean and service the entire unit annually. An HVAC professional should handle the cleaning. The cleaning will involve a thorough inspection of the system. It ensures everything is working and the internal components are clean and flawless. Your HVAC system can lose up to 5% efficiency each year without professional inspection and maintenance.

• Remember to clean the ducts. If the air conditioner and furnace are the lungs, the vents are the blood vessels that transport clean air around the house. Ducts don't need regular cleaning, but you should have them checked every once in a while. Make sure they aren't harbouring a staggering amount of dust and debris or leaking or broken at any point.

• Invest in a ventilator. A ventilator will help your HVAC system expel old and stale air and bring in fresh and clean air from the outside. With this, you don't recycle the same dirty air through the house over and over again.

Routine Cleaning is Critical to Air Conditioning Maintenance - Conclusion

Cleaning an HVAC system is easy and reasonably priced. You can compare the cost of cleaning your AC unit to the expenses you incur for repairs and replacement of a dirty, poorly maintained AC system.

The decision to schedule maintenance today will save you money and headaches in the future. Countless benefits are offered with proper HVAC maintenance.

If you have any queries regarding AC maintenance or want to book an appointment to have your AC cleaned, call your local HVAC expert today!

https://furnace-repair-calgary.ca/why-routine-cleaning-is-critical-to-air-conditioning-maintenance/

Discover 5 Advantages of Cleaning Your Furnace

So what are the advantages of cleaning your furnace? Read on to learn how cleaning your furnace can help you. And don't forget to do it - we'll go over some of the most common reasons you should clean your furnace.

What are the Key Advantages of Cleaning Your Furnace?

Improved indoor air quality

While air conditioning is very effective at removing pollutants, one of the primary advantages of cleaning your furnace is improved indoor air quality. The air conditioner works by circulating the air in your home, reducing the number of indoor pollutants and allergens in the air. However, some candles can harm indoor air quality, so be sure to choose beeswax candles. Beeswax emits negative ions, which counteract the positive ions in the air.

If your furnace is not working optimally, cleaning it regularly will help its performance. A dirty furnace will not clean the air as well as it should and may even stop working altogether. Contact your local HVAC service provider to determine the best maintenance program for your furnace.

A good air filter is the first defence against poor indoor air quality. A typical central heating and air conditioning system circulates over a thousand cubic feet of air per minute, meaning the entire house passes through the filter numerous times throughout the day.

Proper Ventilation Prevents fires

It's easy to forget about your furnace room during the warmer months, but regular cleaning and maintenance can help prevent fires. First, keep the area clean by removing clutter. Make sure there's enough room to vacuum regularly and maintain your furnace. Ventilation is also vital, as a dirty furnace increases the risk of fires. Cleaning your furnace will prevent dangerous gases from building up and causing a fire.

To clean your gas furnace, start by cleaning its filters. Dirty filters can cause a wide variety of problems with your heating system. Not only will they make the furnace less efficient, but they will also create a fire hazard. It is also essential to clean your filter every month to prevent clogs and harmful air pollution.

Improved efficiency

One of the key advantages of cleaning your furnace is improved efficiency. In addition, a clean furnace extends the life of your furnace is to clean it regularly. Dirty buildup can limit the furnace's ability to heat your home, causing unexpected breakdowns. It also increases the workload on various components. So, cleaning your furnace once a year can ensure maximum performance for years to come.

Here are some tips for cleaning your furnace:

Over time, oil filters can get clogged with grime and sludge. Changing the oil filter will allow the oil to reach the furnace much more accessible and provide a hotter burn. If the oil filter is dirty, your HVAC technician will clean it for you, and the HVAC technician may also remove extra sludge from the tank. If you're worried about the cost of cleaning your furnace, you may want to consider getting it cleaned by an HVAC technician. The professional will also be able to make necessary repairs and make recommendations for improved performance.

Lower noises

While learning about the advantages of cleaning your furnace, you may have come across the term "reduces noise when cleaning your furnace," but what does this mean? It simply means that you should lower the volume of the noise. Reducing the volume is crucial if you want to avoid being bothered by your furnace while cleaning it. Several factors cause the sound your furnace produces, but it is vital to determine which one is causing the noise. Some noises are caused by clogged air filters, while others can result from more extensive problems. Whether your furnace is making too much noise or is too old, you should consider repairing or replacing the parts of your furnace.

If you hear a rattling noise when you clean your furnace, you may have a cracked heat exchanger, which has become cracked. If you notice this noise, you need to replace it, as a cracked heat exchanger can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Similarly, if you hear a whistling noise from your furnace's exhaust fan, the fan may be causing the noise. The motor bearings may be damaged or unsealed.

Diagnose small problems

One of the key advantages of cleaning your furnace is finding minor problems that most people won't notice. An HVAC technician might see that a fan is blocked or that a furnace element leaks. You can repair these minor issues to prevent more significant problems later.

Preventive maintenance is the best way to ensure your furnace lasts many years.

https://furnace-repair-calgary.ca/5-advantages-of-cleaning-your-furnace/