Published on August 5th, 2014 | Maintaining your A/C unit, regardless of style, is a great way to keep your home cool and using energy efficiently. Did you know that by just regularly cleaning your A/C’s filter you could improve its efficiency by as much as 15%? Also, by simply shading your A/C unit you could improve its energy efficiency by as much as 10%. Needless to say, your A/C unit represents a great opportunity to save both energy and money in your home. Try implementing some of these basic maintenance tips to help ensure your unit is running efficiently. Things you’ll need for the job: Before beginning any maintenance work on your A/C unit, you should look into your unit’s warranty information. You should be able to vacuum out debris and dust and change filters, but there may be things that will invalidate a warranty, so check that first. If your model is new, odds are, you don’t need to do much maintenance to it besides just cleaning and changing filters anyway.

If you feel comfortable with the warranty situation, you can begin to do some easy maintenance that can help you maximize your unit’s energy efficiency. First, be sure that there is no power running to it. You can do this by simply unplugging it, or flipping the breaker off that controls the power to your unit. Properly maintaing your system may require the assistance of a trained professional. If you’re unsure about handling the project yourself, be sure to call a trained technician. 1. Clean or replace your A/C units filter. Depending on the type of filter you have you may be able to clean it, rather than replace it. However, if you’re going to replace it, do so with one that can be cleaned and re-used down the line. That way you’ll save money in the long run and prevent CO2 emissions from being created at the factory. Luckily, cleaning or replacing your units filter is a quick and simple task. 2. Clean your unit’s condenser coils/fan. These coils help to direct the flow of air into your A/C unit.

However, they tend to gather a fair bit of dust and debris and can be easily dented or warped. Ensuring that you have as much air flowing into your A/C unit as possible will help it to run more efficiently. By performing these simple maintenance tasks not only will your system run more efficiently, you’ll extend the life of your system all together. Which just adds up to more savings. If you’re looking for more ways to save on your cooling costs, try pairing your A/C with ceiling fans. Or, look into how smart landscaping can save you both money and energy around your home. Also, be sure to check out our other green home improvement projects: Green Living Ideas, after all, it is a top 20 home improvement website! Photo courtesy of A/C Source Inc and How Stuff WorksRoom air c­onditioners, also called window units, work the same way central air conditioners do. They are smaller than central systems and often more expensive to operate. Depending on its size, a room unit may cool only the room in which it's located, or it may be able to cool adjoining rooms as well.

Sandwiched between the coils are a compressor, two fans, a motor, and thermostat controls. How to Diagnose a Water Heater Problem How to Diagnose Sump Pump Problems How to Verify Refurbished Electronics are Legitimate How do you sharpen a knife with sandpaper? The Ultimate Refacing an Appliance Quiz The coils, the compressor, and the motor of a room air conditioner are sealed components, so any repairs to them should be left to a professional service person. car ac repair cost in india During the winter, room air conditioners should be protected from the elements. central air conditioner units consumer reportsEither remove the unit from its mounting and store it or cover the outside portion of the unit with a commercial room air conditioner cover or with heavy plastic sheeting, held in place with duct tape.repair ac wall unit

Otherwise, let an air conditioning technician do it. The filter, power cord, coils, switch, thermostat, drain ports, and fan are important to service on a routine basis to avoid larger problems. Below are guidelines on how to maintain these key parts. At the beginning of every cooling season and once a month during the season, remove the front grille and clean or replace the filter. If you live in a very dusty area, clean or replace the filter more often. Most room air conditioners have a washable filter that looks like sponge rubber. Clean the filter with a solution of mild household detergent and water; Let the filter dry completely before reinstalling it. Some units have a throwaway filter, similar to a furnace filter. When this type of filter becomes dirty, replace it with a new one of the same type. The power cord that connects the air conditioner to the wall outlet may become worn and fail to supply electricity to the unit. To check the cord, remove the control panel.

Unscrew the cord terminals and then attach a test wire across the bare lead wires. Hook the clips of a volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM) set to the RX1 scale to the prongs of the cord's plug. If the meter reads zero, the cord is functioning. If the meter reads higher than zero, replace the cord. Clean the evaporator and condenser coils at the beginning of the cooling season and every month during the season. If you live in a very dusty area, clean the coils more often. Use a vacuum cleaner on these components. If the fins on the coils are bent, straighten them with a fin comb, sold at most appliance parts outlets. A fin comb is designed to slide into the spaces between the fins. Use it carefully as the fins are made of light-gauge aluminum and are easily damaged. The selector switch, located directly behind the control panel, turns the unit on. If the air conditioner does not run at any setting, and it is receiving power, chances are the switch is faulty. To correct the problem, remove the control panel and locate the switch.