2 Ways To Help Maintain Your Central Air Conditioning Unit

Posted on: 2 March 2015

Most central air conditioning units work for years without needing repair, but it's also good to consider how to maintain it so that it doesn't break down sooner than it should. How you use your air conditioning unit and a few other simple steps can help to avoid early repairs and keep it running optimally. Note a few tips here.

1. Clean your home's ducts regularly

The ductwork in your home can easily affect how well your air conditioning works and if you're putting unnecessary stress on the motor and blower. Your home's ducts hold dust, dirt, rodent droppings, dead insects, pet hair and dander, human hair and shed skin cells and anything else that is airborne in your home. Not only are these things unhealthy to breathe, but they also clog the ducts so that the air conditioner needs to work harder to blow cold air through your home. Think of how much harder a vacuum cleaner hose needs to work when it's clogged or how slow a bathtub drains when it has a clog, and you can better understand how dirty ductwork can affect the performance of your air conditioner.

Optimally you should have your home's ductwork cleaned every six months or annually at the least, but cleaning it as often as you can afford will help your air conditioning unit to work and avoid excessive wear and tear on its parts.

2. Don't cover the outside unit

It's a common mistake for homeowners to assume that they should cover the outside unit to keep it free of debris and anything that may cause damage. In truth, that unit needs room around it to circulate air, so putting a cover over it can cause the motor and condenser to work harder. This is true even in wintertime, when moisture can build up inside an air conditioner cover and settle inside the unit itself. Rather than wrapping it with a tight cover, you might instead have a small enclosure built to surround the unit and protect it while still allowing air to circulate.

It's also good to simply visually inspect the unit regularly so you can remove blades of grass and small twigs that may have built up around the unit. You can also remove and clean the grate around the central unit if you notice that it has build-up of any contaminants or debris. This will keep the motor and blower working optimally.

For more information, contact a business such as Clark Air Conditioning Refrigeration.

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