When your air conditioner gets dirty, especially if it’s an outside unit, you may be wondering if it’s safe to hose it down. After all, it is an electrical appliance. Could hosing it down short it out?
Rest assured that you can hose your air conditioner down as one of many methods to clean it off. Keep reading for even more tips on how best to keep your air conditioner free of dirt and debris to keep it running as efficiently as possible. If your unit does go on the fritz, Ambient Edge is right around the corner. Give us a call for assistance.
Hosing Down Your Air Conditioner
You should absolutely hose down your air conditioner if you have the means to do so. After all, the condenser’s main job is to pull in air and cool it off, so when it “pulls,” it also drags anything loose with it, including pollen, grass clippings, and dirt. Simply hose the unit down with a hard stream of water from top to bottom to ensure it is free from anything that could get trapped inside and cause a troublesome clog.
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Other Ways to Clean Your Air Conditioner
While hosing down your air conditioner can certainly have a positive impact on its performance, there is more you need to do to make sure it is as clean as possible and that nothing can impact its performance. Here are some additional suggestions on how you can best clean your air conditioner and get it ready for the warmer months when you’re going to need it more often.
Spray the Fins
In addition to hosing down the outside of your air conditioner, you can also spray down the fins from the inside. Just be sure to reduce the water pressure to more of a moderate stream and remove the fan before you proceed.
You’ll also want to do this on a day where the temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This is the minimum temperature at which you should test your air conditioner to make sure it’s operating as it should. For a more effective cleaning job, you can also vacuum your fins before you hose them down. Use a soft brush with caution when you vacuum the fins, as they are delicate and can easily be damaged.
Change the Filter
We cannot stress this enough: one of the best things you can do to protect your air conditioner from damage and keep it running as effectively as possible for as long as possible is to stay on top of its filter. Keeping your airflow as unobstructed as possible is key to receiving the best possible performance from your air conditioner.
Most manufacturers recommend you replace your filter every 90 days or so, but it really depends on how often your unit is running. Plus, if you have pets, you should change it every 60 days at most. Essentially, you should clean the filter about once a week, and when it becomes apparent that cleaning is not improving its performance, then it’s time to replace it – but no later than 60 to 90 days after you install it.
Clean the Evaporator Coils
Cleaning your evaporator coils is another important part of air conditioner ownership. However, this isn’t something everyone can do, or feels comfortable doing. If you’d rather not take the chance, don’t worry – Ambient Edge can help.
You may be interested in signing up for a preventive maintenance plan. When you sign up for preventive maintenance, you don’t have to worry about staying on top of your air conditioner’s schedule insofar as changing the filter, cleaning the coils, or any of those requirements. We’ll check on your system once a year before the hotter months hit to make sure everything is clean and operating efficiently. This can take a load off your mind by handing the responsibility over to us.
Don’t Forget the Indoor Unit
Keeping your indoor air conditioning unit is just as important as cleaning the outside unit. Make sure to disconnect the power first, then pop out and clean the filter. We recommend replacing your filter at the beginning of the season so you start fresh, but if you replaced it near the end of the season last year, then give it a good cleaning and keep up on your clean/replace schedule to ensure maximum efficiency.
Do You Need Help Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Unit? Call Ambient Edge Today!
While some parts of an air conditioner are fairly easy to clean on your own, you may not feel comfortable tinkering around in there. If not, that’s no problem – our experienced team at Ambient Edge can help with as much or as little as you need.
Call us or message us on our website and we’ll schedule you for our next available consultation. Don’t head into the hotter months with a less-than-optimized air conditioner. Call Ambient Edge today and enjoy the confidence that comes with staying on top of your air conditioner’s performance!
