Outdoor air conditioner units require regular maintenance. Properly cleaning your air conditioner outdoor unit extends its life and minimizes maintenance issues. A clean air conditioner also cools the air more efficiently and can reduce energy consumption by up to 15 percent, according to Cornell University. Most outdoor units are easily accessible, which allows homeowners to perform maintenance themselves. Units perform best when cleaned twice annually at the beginning and again at the end of the summer cooling season. Locate and remove the air conditioner filter. Filter locations vary depending on your air conditioner, but they are usually found along the air conditioner return duct. If the filter is not located within the air conditioner unit, look for an access panel on the interior or exterior of your home near the air conditioner location. Wash reusable filters outdoors. Rinse them with a sharp spray of water from a garden hose to remove the dust and debris in the filter. Dispose of cardboard and fiber filters and replace with a new filter, since these are not reusable like the metal and plastic variety.

Turn off the power to the air conditioner unit. Usually this requires flipping the breaker switch assigned to the unit since most units don't have a separate on/off switch. Remove the top access panel on the unit. This is the panel with the vent openings. Locate the screws holding it in place and remove them with a screwdriver. Set the panel aside carefully without damaging the attached fan or fan wires. Examine the condenser coils on the inside of the unit for dirt, debris and dust. Vacuum the debris from the coils using a shop vacuum, taking care not to bend the fins and coils. Rinse the coils with water from the garden hose after vacuuming. Wipe the fan blades clean with a wet rag. Clear any debris from the fan vents in the panel. Replace the panel on the unit and screw it in place. Turn the power back on to the unit. Things You Will Need Replacement filter (optional) Garden hose Screwdriver Shop vacuum Rags Tip Warning References Cornell University Extension: Maintaining Your Air ConditionerUniversity of Nebraska: Time to Clean Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Photo Credits Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a Correction

Edit ArticleHow to Clean Air Conditioner Coils Cleaning your air conditioner's condenser coils regularly will let your air conditioner run cooler with less energy and make you feel more comfortable. The best time to clean your air conditioner is in the spring, just before you anticipate using it for the first time in the year. Here are the steps to follow to clean your air conditioner coils. Disconnect power to the air conditioner. Trim away any plant growth around the air conditioner. Detach the outer case or access panels. Remove the top of the air conditioner. Clean and lubricate the fan assembly. Brush away surface dirt from the air conditioner coils. Spray-clean away trapped dirt from the coils. You can do this with just water, or if the dirt is considerable, a biodegradable foaming cleaner mixed with water. Spray the cleaner from the outside in and let it soak in for 10 to 15 minutes. You may wish to re-apply the cleaner and let the second application soak for another 5 minutes.

Before you spray the air conditioner, cover any electric wires or motors with plastic. Rinse away the cleaner from the coils. Inspect the coil fins for any damage. Reassemble the air conditioner. You should only need to fully clean the air conditioner once a year, but if you live near cottonwood trees or dandelions, you may have to clean the unit more frequently during the spring, possibly weekly or even daily.mobile office hvac unit The above instructions can also be used if you own a heat pump, as the external condenser unit is constructed similar to an air conditioner.a coil for ac unit If you spot any problems during the cleaning process, such as an oil leak or damage to the refrigerant coolers, contact an air conditioner service technician.buy solar ac unit

If you're like us, you're already feeling the intense heat of (unofficial) summer. This weekend, in fact, we found sanctuary thanks to our amazing air conditioners. If you are anticipating the pangs of the soon-to-be scorching season, it's the perfect time to clean your outdoor air conditioner. Because routine cleaning won't only prolong the life of your machine, but an unclogged, debris-less unit will function more efficiently, costing you less in energy bills. What's not to love about that? The first and most important step to cleaning an outdoor unit is turning off the power switch, which should be located in a small box near the machine. Next, remove any leaves, branches or other debris that may have gotten stuck in the condenser fins, which are the thin metal pieces that run along the exterior of the unit. Then, vacuum the fins with a soft-bristled brush attachment making sure not to bend any fins. Once you're done, unscrew and remove the top grille. The fan will most likely be attached to the grille.

Vacuum any debris around the motor. Then, using a hose with a direct spray, wash down the interior walls, avoiding electrical components and not bending any fins. Finally, wipe down the fan blades with a damp cloth. Have something to say? Be sure to check out Stylelist Home on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Air Conditioner Air Conditioner Cleaner Air Conditioning Maintenance Cleaning Tips Air Conditioners Get top stories and blog posts emailed to me each day. Newsletters may offer personalized content or advertisements.You are here » Maintaining Your Air ConditionerIf your home or business has an air conditioner and you’re in charge of making sure it keeps working, you probably know that it’s important to have your air conditioner regularly maintained. And you may have heard talk about AC coil cleaning as part of that maintenance.But if you’re not an air conditioning expert, it probably sounds like greek to you. What exactly is an air conditioner coil? And why is it so important to clean it?

And most important: how do you know when you need to have it done when you’ve never even seen the thing?Your air conditioner’s coils are some of the most important parts of the system. There are two types of coils in an air conditioning system: evaporator coils that absorb the heat and humidity from the air in your space, and condenser coils that expel that heat outside of your building.In order for the coils to transfer heat effectively, the surfaces need to be clean. When the outside of the condenser coil is caked with dirt and grime, the heat gets trapped inside and can’t be effectively released. Since the condenser coil is part of the outdoor unit, it gets exposed to all the smog and pollution in the New York City air, so it can get fouled in a hurry. Even if your “outdoor” unit is located in an inside mechanical room (as is common in New York City spaces without access to outside space) that mechanical room has been constructed with louvers to provide outdoor air, so your condenser coil is still exposed to the elements.

When the evaporator coil gets dirty, it can’t remove as much heat and humidity from the air in your space. The evaporator coil is located indoors, but it’s still exposed to all the dust in your building. Especially if you forget to change the air filters regularly, it’s easy for airborne particles to clog up the evaporator coil so it doesn’t cool as effectively.You probably aren’t in the habit of actually looking at your air conditioning unit. But if it’s in an accessible spot, take a look at the coil, which looks like a long tube shaped into a coil with metal fins on the outside. If you haven’t had the unit cleaned in a while, it’s probably a nasty sight. Especially when you consider that this unit affects the air you breathe all day long.Besides the fact that your air conditioner can’t cool your space as effectively when it’s dirty, there are other consequences of dirty coils:The question is, how much dirt is too much? As a general rule, you need AC coil cleaning twice per year as part of your regular preventative maintenance.

But there are other factors, especially in New York City, that may mean you need AC coil cleaning more frequently:Coil fins are very sensitive, and can be easily damaged if you use too much force or abrasion or if you use the wrong type of cleaning products for AC coil cleaning. There’s also a risk of handling potentially dangerous chemicals, not to mention the risk of electric shock and fire for someone who’s not properly trained. This job is best left to the professionals.Considering all the things that are likely to go wrong with your air conditioner if you neglect AC coil cleaning, it’s a relatively inexpensive insurance policy. The fact is that AC coil cleaning and regular AC preventative maintenance more than pay for themselves with the resulting energy savings, lower repair bills and increased system lifespan.Related Article: 8 Ways AC Preventative Maintenance Keeps the Repairman AwayAnd that doesn’t even take into consideration the increase in productivity that comes from having comfortable air temperatures, or the potential for lost business than can result when your system is down.