A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your AC Unit For Spring

Spring is here, and summer will be on it’s way before you know it. If you haven’t done so already, now is the perfect time to start preparing your home and your HVAC system for the warmer weather — beginning with a little spring cleaning for your air conditioner.

Step 1: The Condenser – Your first order of business will be cleaning your condenser. This is the large unit typically located just outside your home. You want to make sure that you remove any built up debris from the condenser fins.

• Be sure the power has been turned off first.
• Grab a heavy duty vacuum and begin sucking out any leaves, dirt and debris.
• Use a butter knife to carefully straighten out any crushed fins.
• Unscrew the top grille and remove the fan, taking care not to disrupt the wires.
• Remove any debris that has been sucked into the unit, and wipe it down completely.
• Using a hose, spray the fins from the inside out, pushing out any leftover dirt.

Step 2: Reregulating – Once you’ve cleaned out your condenser you’ll need to get it back up and running. Turn the power back on and set your thermostat to cool to kick on the compressor. Allow it to run for 10 minutes. Then, check your outdoor unit to make sure the insulated tube is cool, and the exposed tube is warm.

Step 3: The Indoor Unit – The last step is to clean out the air conditioner unit indoors, changing any air filters and ridding your units of dust and debris.

• Turn off the power and remove the furnace filter, changing it if necessary.
• Vacuum out the blower compartment and oil up any of the unit’s moving parts.
• Pour a cleaning solution (1 part bleach to 16 parts water) down the drain tube to flush the line. If your drain tube is particularly dirty, you may want to replace it altogether.
• Using a pipe cleaner, remove any debris from the drain port before connecting the tube.

…And voila — your air conditioner will be ready to run for those warm days ahead!

Not sure you want to tackle air conditioner maintenance on your own this time around? No problem! Just call Tyler Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration LLC at 203-378-4700 and we’ll send one of our knowledgeable technicians to get the job done.