Tips for Cleaning Your AC System

With summer coming to an end in Abilene, now is a good time to get a kick start on air conditioner maintenance.

If you haven’t cleaned it lately, it could be clogged with dust and debris from your yard. This accumulation can limit your unit’s efficiency and cause it to malfunction. Or wear it down sooner.

We recommend having your air conditioning system professionally maintained every year. Why? A clean system can be more energy efficient, which could save you money on utility costs.

Consistent AC maintenance also helps our technicians locate and take care of minor issues before they become costly problems.

Some of the work we do consists of:

Inspecting the blower, motor, drain line and coils
Confirming pressure and temperature
Reviewing lines, refrigerant amounts and connections

It’s not too late to have maintenance done this fall—and we can get your furnace prepared for heating season too.

Schedule maintenance now

There’s also some maintenance you can do alone between professional tune-ups. You only need about an hour to wash your outdoor condenser unit, as well as a few components on your indoor HVAC system.

How to Clean Your Outside AC Unit

Choose a warm day to clean your air conditioner. At least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) is ideal. That way, you can test your equipment once you’ve cleaned it.

You’ll only need a few items:

Wet-dry vacuum and hose with a soft brush attachment
Screwdriver
Butter knife
Damp rag
Small, round paintbrush
Replacement furnace filter (if necessary)

5 Steps to Clean the Outside Unit

1. Turn Off the Power

Stop the juice to your air conditioner at the breaker box.

2. Clean the Outside

Take out rubbish from the system. This includes branches, bushes, weeds and grass.

Then run the vacuum to gently clean the metallic fins. These parts are also called as condenser coils and transfer heat away from your unit.

You need to be careful with these fragile coils. Bent or crushed fins can affect efficiency.

3. Fix Bent Fins

Use a butter knife to rearrange warped fins. You can also buy a fin comb from an appliance parts website. A pro from Abilene Air-Tech Inc should take care of large amounts of damage.

4. Clean the Inside

After extracting the fan, dig out leaves and other yard rubbish. Then clean the inside of the unit with a wet cloth.

The only coil cleaner you need is water. Use gentle pressure from a hose nozzle to clean the fins, showering water from the inside out. Put the fan back in once you’re done.

5. Test Your Air Conditioner

It’s safe to restore power and turn your air conditioner back on. If it’s not working correctly, give us a call at (325) 692-5850.

3 Steps to Clean the Indoor Unit

1. Turn Off the Power

Turn off the power to your furnace at the breaker box.

2. Check Your Filter

Furnace filters must be changed every several months, depending on the type you use.

Not sure when you last checked yours? Pull it out and tilt it toward the light. If there’s no light visible, buy a new one.

3. Clean the Inside

Remove the blower door and vacuum up dust.

Then examine your air conditioner’s drain line—it’s a flexible plastic tube. If it’s scummy, you can clean it by draining thinned bleach through the tube to sanitize the line. Or you can replace the tube.

Clean the drain port using a small, round paintbrush. Reconnect the drain tube and restore power.

Never Forget a Tune-Up Again

Annual air conditioner maintenance from Abilene Air-Tech Inc can make your system more efficient and help it last longer. We also provide practical service agreements, so you won’t forget to book your regular maintenance!