Taking care of your outdoor air conditioning unit is incredibly important for securing the efficiency of your unit. There are a few simple things that you need to do to make sure that your outdoor AC unit is clean and clear. Doing these things will keep you and your family comfortable year round and avoid unnecessary repairs.
The best way to keep your outdoor air conditioning cabinet in great shape is to schedule regular maintenance. It’s highly recommended to schedule air conditioning maintenance at least twice a year to keep your unit properly working.
If you are ready to schedule air conditioning maintenance, contact our team at Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling and Heating at 972-291-0740.
Benefits of Outdoor AC Unit Care
Scheduling maintenance and completing your own maintenance for your outdoor air conditioning unit is incredibly important. Not only will the unit itself work better, but you will save money and time. There are many benefits to providing maintenance for your outdoor unit:
- Increases efficiency: when you clean your outdoor AC unit, it won’t have to work as hard to produce the same amount of energy. This increases the efficiency of the unit.
- Reduces risk of repairs: cleaning and providing maintenance for your outdoor unit keeps it in good shape and functioning well, substantially reducing the risk for unexpected repairs.
- Reduces your energy bill: because cleaning your unit improves its efficiency, your energy bill won’t increase and may even decrease.
- Increases lifespan: when the efficiency of your unit increases, so does its lifespan.
Taking care of your outdoor air conditioning unit may be the difference between your unit lasting 20 years with few repairs and your unit lasting 15 years with many repairs. Continue reading for how you can complete maintenance for your outdoor AC unit.
At Home Maintenance For your Outdoor AC Unit
While scheduling professional maintenance is the best thing that you can do for your outdoor air conditioning unit, there are a few things that you can do yourself to provide maintenance. Take a look at these four things that you should do to provide proper maintenance for your outdoor AC unit:
1. Clean the Condenser Coils
Your indoor air conditioning unit has evaporator coils and your outdoor unit has condenser coils. The evaporator coils absorb heat and the condenser coils expel heat. In order for your coils to function properly, they need to have as much surface area exposed to air as possible. When dust settles on the coils or debris blocks them, then they can’t do their job as well.
To clean your condenser coils, first turn your thermostat to “off”. Then you should take a vacuum and run the vacuum alongside the coils. This will remove any large clumps of dust or debris. Next, you can take a rag and wet it with water (you can also use condenser cleaner) and run it along the coils. This will keep them clean enough to continue efficiently expelling heat.
2. Clear the Surrounding Area
Another thing that you should do for your outdoor air conditioning unit is clear the surrounding area. Just as much as the condenser coils need to be exposed to air, so does your entire unit. Because your outdoor unit is getting rid of heat, it needs enough space to properly do so. This means that you need to clear at least two feet around the unit.
You should cut back any landscaping that may be too close and remove any toys, tools or other items that may be blocking the unit. Doing this will ensure that your unit is able to expel heat outside and keep your home comfortable.
3. Realign the Fins
Something else that you can do to take care of your outdoor air conditioning unit is to realign the fins. All along the outside of the unit you may notice these thin metal plates. These are called fins. Over time the fins can become bent, flattened or misaligned. Realigning the fins ensures that there is sufficient space for the air to escape the condenser.
To realign the fins, you can use a thin butter knife or purchase a fin aligner. Insert the butter knife in between fins, only insert just enough to be able to maneuver the fins, and work to straighten them. This can be time consuming and is a meticulous job. Realigning your outdoor AC unit is a great way to increase efficiency and reduce the need for air conditioning repairs.
4. Remove Debris from Inside
The last thing that you can do for your outdoor AC unit is only recommended for those who feel comfortable getting a bit more technical. The best way to fully clean the fins of your AC is to take a hose and clean from the inside of the unit. But the only way to do that is to remove the fan on the top.
All you have to do is unscrew the top grill with a screwdriver and gently lift the fan out. The fan is connected to wires so be sure not to disturb the wires too much. Next, you should remove any debris from the fan and wipe it down with a wet cloth. Then, using a hose, you can spray the fins from the inside out. This will deep clean inside your AC unit.
AC Maintenance in Red Oak, TX
While there are many ways that you can keep your outdoor AC cabinet clean and clear, the best way is to hire professionals. If you are looking for reliable air conditioning maintenance in Red Oak, TX, there is no need to search “air conditioning repair companies near me”. Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling and Heating is the trustworthy HVAC company that you have been searching for.
Our team of trained professionals is dedicated to providing superior workmanship and quality customer service. We provide maintenance, repairs and replacements for many different HVAC systems. At Dial One Johnson, our customers are our highest priority. This means that we work extra hard to make sure that our customers are satisfied with our work.
To schedule an appointment with our team, give us a call at 972-291-0740 or contact us online.
Author Bio:
Sherrie Johnson-Hartsock
Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling & Heating is now owned and operated by Sherrie Johnson-Hartsock, with his grandson, Daniel Johnson, a third-generation plumber who is also the Service Manager.