Guide to the correct maintenance of air conditioners

Here are the steps to follow before restarting the air conditioners to avoid malfunctions and high consumption

Introduction

We are approaching, with great strides, towards the summer season and therefore the heat. The moment in which we will turn the air conditioners back on is getting closer and closer. In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is advisable to schedule a maintenance intervention to have the device working at its maximum efficiency .

As part of this intervention, there are some operations that can be done alone, without the help of a technician, and others for which, instead, it is necessary to contact an authorized assistance.

When is it better to clean air conditioners before using them again?

Carrying out the right maintenance is an operation that is as important as it is necessary both to improve the energy consumption of air conditioners and to have healthy air in the house that is not spoiled by impurities. Furthermore, without maintenance, there is a risk of having an air conditioner that is not able to best refresh the rooms in which it is located and, even, it may not work at the first start after a long time.

Speaking of time: what is the right period to carry out proper maintenance? Autumn, therefore September / October, would be the optimum. But doing it in this segment of the year too, so April / May, is just fine.

How do i clean the air conditioner filters?

To ensure that healthy air comes out of the air conditioner, we need to make sure the filters are clean . After all, it is a simple operation, which you can do by yourself at home, with the help, perhaps, of the air conditioner instruction manual .

An air conditioner with dirty or worn filters consumes much more energy, for a correct cleaning of the filters it is enough to disassemble them and clean them with water and alcohol. The filters are easily identifiable because they are already set up to be easily identified and cleaned. Just lift the front cover, from where the air comes out and immediately they will be ready to be disassembled without using tools.

The filters are located in the split ; usually, just lift the front panel to find them. They are easily identified: these are those plastic grids that have a very important function. In fact, in these barriers , dust , pollen , bacteria , pollutants and, more generally, all air impurities are retained. If the filters are dirty , they will lose their ability to act as a barrier , letting all the impurities not retained reach the air we breathe.

Not only that: dirty filters will contribute to a malfunction of the air conditioner, reducing the cooling efficiency of the environment in which it is installed.

To clean them, simply remove them from the split and wash them with running water until the accumulated dirt is eliminated, and then put them back in place in the machine.

Attention!
Before putting them back in the split, you must take care that the filters are completely dry, and that they do not hide water residues: otherwise, they could generate humidity and mold, which would damage both the air conditioner and the people who would breathe that air.

How do you clean the external air conditioning engine?

The outdoor unit also needs periodic maintenance. A dirty engine can cause several problems : higher noise , higher consumption and higher pollution . It is clear that the air conditioner motor, being designed to be outdoors, is subject to atmospheric weather . And, for this, it is necessary to take a look at it, from time to time, to avoid a malfunction.

After removing the external protection grid , we can use a brush to eliminate the dust accumulated on the blades; immediately after, we can pass on them a damp cloth to complete the work, using a normal kitchen degreaser to perfect the cleaning. If, in the vicinity of the fan, we notice an accumulation of debris (for example dry leaves ), we can use a vacuum cleaner to remove them.

Bonus: How do I know if my air conditioner is leaking gas?

The search for gas leaks is also part of the maintenance of the air conditioner. This is, however, an operation that must be carried out by a specialized technician . Usually, it should not be necessary – except after years of operation – to intervene and refill the air conditioner with gas.

But how is it possible to understand that it is necessary to request the intervention of a technician? How do you understand that you need to refill the gas in the air conditioner?

Certainly a factor that should not be underestimated is the level of cooling: if you notice that your device no longer cools the environment in which it is located properly, you should call a technician to see if it is necessary to check the system for any leaks and, if so, to put the gas back inside the machine.

Conclusions

The small measures that we have proposed to carry out maintenance of the air conditioner independently are really simple but fundamental steps to ensure the correct functioning of the device.

In the event that the problem should be more serious, as it is inherent to any leaks or gas refill, and you should require the intervention of an expert , you can still be satisfied with your intervention because you have been able to understand the problem and act first. that the situation worsened.

Keeping air conditioners properly and correctly maintained is a habit that should become a fixed appointment at least once a year. The purpose is to avoid malfunctions and to breathe healthy air inside the rooms in which they are installed.