Air conditioning units are one of the best types of appliances to have at home. There are many benefits to owning one but what many people forget is that you should take care of your air conditioner just as much as it takes care of you. Without proper maintenance, these appliances can actually do more harm than good.
Unless you can do it on your own, you should have a specialist check out your air conditioner regularly. Aside from keeping it clean, regular maintenance also helps detect any potential issues that can prevent your air conditioner from functioning properly.
How often do you need to maintain your air conditioner anyway? Doing so daily is costly and honestly, unnecessary. It’s time you learn more about how often maintenance is needed for air conditioners, as well as a few tips on how you can properly maintain it as well.
How Often Is Maintenance Needed
The truth is that no one can tell how many times your air conditioner needs maintenance per year. However, Klimaanlage Kaufen suggests that you should at least have yours checked once a year. In reality, it really depends on the current state of your AC and the number of times you use it per day,
Some people have their residential hvac system checked twice a year and this is an ideal number too. It would be wise to have yours maintained before summer and after winter. In this case, your air conditioner is going to at least be prepared for regular usage when it’s needed.
One thing you shouldn’t do is schedule maintenance monthly as it’s no longer practical to do that. A good way to know when it’s time for maintenance is to simply check for a few signs. Here are some signs that can actually tell you that it’s time for a routine check-up.
- Strange sounds – You should listen in and memorize how your air conditioner sounds regularly. Today’s models are usually quiet and the loudest sound you can hear is a gentle hum. If anything other than that is heard, then there could be something wrong with the unit already.
- Sudden increase in electricity consumption – All air conditioning units have a sticker on the body that notes how much energy it consumes. Once you receive your first bill after using an air conditioner, you should gauge exactly how much it consumes regularly. If there are any sudden hikes to your bill, the unit might be the culprit.
- Odd earthy smell – AIr conditioning units should not produce any odor when being used. Over time, there will be a build-up of bacteria, mold, viruses, and other things inside your unit. If you begin to smell these, it’s time for cleaning. The most common smell is described as being earthy – much like how mold smells.
- Inefficient cooling – Over time, your air conditioner is going to be less and less effective when it comes to cooling your room. There are various issues that can cause this. One is that there’s a lot of dirt and dust in the unit which can block proper air circulation.
- Water drippings – There are many pipes and valves that connect your indoor unit to the outdoor unit. Even in window-type aircons, there are also some valves. Water passes through these valves. Check for water drippings on areas near the air conditioner. This usually means that there’s a leak in your unit that needs to be fixed.
- Weak airflow – Your air conditioner does blow air when it’s working. This is what usually causes the weak hum that you hear. Always check how strong the airflow is. If it’s not as strong as it used to, there could be something blocking the fans from doing their job.
- Uncontrollable humidity – When working properly, air conditioning units shouldn’t cause any moisture on windows or the walls. That being said, if the air feels oddly humid when the unit is on, there’s a good chance that the air conditioner is not functioning as it should.
These are just some important signs that you need to look for to know whether it’s time for a maintenance check-up. Most of these signs usually point to serious problems in your air conditioner, so make sure to call for professional ac repair and service as soon as you can.
Maintenance Tips
You’re going to have your air conditioner checked regularly but that doesn’t mean you should put all of the maintenance burdens on professionals. As the owner of the unit, you should also take the necessary steps to ensure that you are not doing anything bad to your unit.
Let’s talk about the outdoor unit first if you have a split-type air conditioner. Check out the finds on the unit and try to straighten them out if they are bent. Turn off the power first and then use a metal knife to straighten the fins. While you’re at it, you should also check for any debris inside the fins.
If your air conditioner itself comes with external filters, you should try to clean these at least once a week. Take off the filter, run some water through it to remove any dust or fur if you have any pets living inside the house. This will keep your unit running as smoothly as possible.
When picking a spot to place your air conditioner in, try not to put it in an area where it can be exposed to rain or extreme heat. Although these units are built to last, they can still be affected by exposure to the elements. This is especially the case if you have a split-type unit and there’s an outdoor component.
Maintaining your air conditioner doesn’t have to be hard especially if you have professionals checking it out for you. Remember, maintenance not only makes your air conditioner working properly, but it also ensures that it’s going to run and work for as long as possible inside your home. Of course, a clean air conditioner is also going to keep the air healthy all the time.
