In most air-conditioning systems, the condenser unit is located outside the house and is prone to accumulate dirt and debris from trees, lawn mowing, and airborne d­ust. The condenser has a fan that moves air across the condenser coil. You must clean the coil on the intake side, so, before you turn off the power to the air conditioner, check to see which direction the air moves across the coils. Here's how to clean the condenser: Step 1: Cut down any grass, weeds, or vines that have grown around condenser unit; they could be obstructing airflow. Step 2: Clean condenser with commercial coil cleaner, available at refrigerator supply stores. Instructions for use are included. Flush coil clean (do not use hose); Step 3: Clean fins with soft brush to remove accumulated dirt. You may have to remove protective grille to reach them. Do not clean fins with garden hose, as water could turn dirt into mud and compact it between fins. Clean fins very carefully: They're made of light-gauge aluminum and are easily damaged.

If fins are bent, straighten them with fin comb, sold at most appliance parts stores. A fin comb is designed to slide into spaces between fins. Use it carefully to avoid damaging fins. Step 4: Check concrete pad on which condenser rests to make sure it's level. Set carpenters' level front to back and side to side on top of unit. If pad has settled, lift pad with pry bar or piece of 2-by-4, then force gravel or rocks under concrete to level it. During the fall and winter, outside condenser units should be protected from the elements to prevent leaf blockage and ice damage. Cover the condenser unit with a commercial condenser cover made to fit the shape of the unit or use heavy plastic sheeting secured with sturdy cord.A central air conditioner is a unit that spreads cold air throughout your home or business via a duct system. Within the machine itself, air is pushed through several coils containing refrigerant that cool it before its pushed through the duct work and into the home.

These evaporator coils should be cleaned once a year to keep the unit working efficiently and to help avoid creating allergy problems for you and your family.heat pump with ac unit Before working on any appliance or device powered by electricity, it is important to shut it off at the source. how to hide ac unit outsideWith a central air conditioner, you will want to first turn it off at the thermostat. ac unit not cooling enoughAfterward, switch the power to the unit off at the breaker box; there should be a breaker dedicated for this purpose. If you cannot find it for some reason, it would be smart to call your electric company to have them help you. If you do not know where the main part of your unit is installed, you will want to look around for it.

Generally, you can find panels that cover it outside your home of office, on the side of the building; however, they can be located on the back of the building, on the ground near your home or office, or even on the roof. Once you have located the panels covering your air conditioner, remove them by loosening the screws. Make sure that the area around you is clean so that nothing will fall and hurt the air conditioner while you are working. After everything is unscrewed, pull the panel away, taking note of how you removed it so that you will be able to reattach it easily when you're done. Locate the coils and spray them down with water from a garden hose. Use a spray nozzle specifically so you can dislodge any loose debris easily. Follow up by using a degreaser to take care of anything else. Let it sit on the coils for over half an hour before proceeding. Once the degreaser has set on the coils, rinse a portion to make sure that it worked. If it has not fully cleaned the coils, it may need to sit a little longer.

If the coils are clean, you will want to rinse them off completely with your hose nozzle. Make sure it is getting the heaviest water pressure possible so any remaining grease and grime on the coils washes away. To make sure you don’t cause yourself injury, stand at least two to three feet away the entire time. Also make sure that the nozzle is about a foot away from the coils so that the water pressure will not harm the system. Allow the coils to fully dry before reattaching the panel to the outside of the air conditioner. It is of the utmost important that no moisture remains inside. Turn the electricity to the unit back on and you're finished. By maintaining your air conditioning coils, you will make sure that your unit will work longer and more efficiently.How To's & Quick Tips > How To: Clean an Air Conditioner Help your hard-working air conditioner keep you cool this season and the next when you give your unit a much-needed scrub down. Air conditioners are our saving grace during sticky summers—there’s nothing quite like the relief of walking into a room that has the cool air blasting after hours in unrelenting 70-degree-and-sunny heat.

But while we appreciate our ACs, we don’t often give them the treatment they deserve. Keeping your air conditioner clean not only benefits its efficiency, but it also improves the overall air quality in your home. Follow these simple steps to get your unit in tip-top shape. - Vacuum with brush attachment It’s incredibly important to start by unplugging the air conditioner before you even touch any cleaning tools—not doing so could put you at risk of an electrical shock. Once you’ve disconnected your unit, use a moist, soft cloth and a little bit of dish soap to rub off dirt or stains on the front and surface of the air conditioner. Avoid using spray cleaners on the front of the air conditioner, and don’t put too much water on the cloth, as it can drip into the unit and cause damage.Some will come off simply with your hands, while others will require a screwdriver. Take note of where the screws belong, as they will need to be replaced the same way for the unit to fit together correctly.

Carefully remove the filter and wash it using a mild dish soap and warm water. Give it a final rinse, then shake the excess water from it and let the filter air-dry. (If you are short on time, you can skip the suds and instead vacuum the filter using the brush attachment.) When you’re done with the filter, check the fins to see if any are bent; if so, use a fin comb to straighten them out. The fin blades are extremely sharp, so proceed with caution when working with them. Use the brush attachment to vacuum away any dirt or debris covering the interior evaporator or condenser coils. For a more intensive clean, spray specialized coil cleaner (found at your local hardware store) on the coils, and let them soak for approximately 10 minutes. Then, rinse the coils off with water, but be careful not to get water on any nearby electrical parts of the unit. Next, move on to the outside of the unit and clean the exterior condenser coils with the brush attachment. Gently wipe down the fan blades with household cleaner or a soft cloth.