Maintaining Your Central Air Conditioning System

We are heading towards the warmer season and with that comes the need to turn on the air conditioning.  If you haven’t been using it for some months, what are some things you can do to get it ready?

It should first be mentioned that your homes air-conditioning system should be thoroughly inspected by a professional, once a year is preferable.  As the homeowner though, you can also do some things to get it ready.

Clean the outside condenser unit.  A long winter means that all sorts of debris could have covered the unit.  Clear away spider webs, leaves and dirt that have accumulated.  Make sure the area around the unit is also clear of foliage etc.

Take off the units cover and clean both the cover and the inside of the unit.  Inside the unit you will find coils of piping with thin “fins” made of metal.  If any of these fins are bent, you can straighten them with a tool called a fin comb.

You can oil the motor with a lubricating oil but be sure to check the manual for this.

Air-conditioning units have drainage lines attached to them that drain the condensed water away from the unit itself.  Its good to have a simple check of these to make sure they are not blocked up.  A blocked drainage line could become problematic or even hazardous.  Check to see that the hoses are in good shape and securely fit to the unit.

Another important area to clean is the air filter.  A dirty air filter will lower indoor air quality and put a strain on the motor.  You will want to change the air filter often especially when it is being used a lot.

As we can see, although its important to have a professional inspect your central air-conditioning, you as the homeowner can do a lot to contribute to maintaining it.