Keep Cool
- August, 2016
- Chris Buchanan, Professional Inspector
Regular cleaning and maintenance will save you money and extend the life of your HVAC system. The most important maintenance task is replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one. It can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by up to 15%. The best time to perform DIY maintenance on your HVAC is when the seasons change. Neglecting maintenance will cause a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.
Your Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning system (HVAC) will consist of either a furnace and AC or a heat pump. The condenser is located outside and an evaporator, blower and furnace on the inside.
Change Filter every month, more if you have pets. The filter in your HVAC system should be changed monthly, simply remove the old filter and install the new filter, matching the air-flow direction arrows on the filter to the arrows on the unit.
HVAC Off Turn off the power before stating any maintenance procedure.
Clean The fins on Your Condenser With a of stream water from your hose, spray through the fins and blast away built up dirt.
Straighten The Condenser Fins Gently straighten bent fins using a butter knife or fin comb.
Clean The Area Around The Condenser Rake up leaves and cut back branches and vegetation at least 2 feet in all directions to maintain airflow.
Level The Condenser Check the level on the condenser using rot-resistant shims.
Clean the Evaporator Coil (Inside your house) On the inside blower/furnace unit, find the evaporator coil door. Use a paint brush and a soft touch to dust off the coil, then spray the coil with a no-rinse coil cleaner.
Clean The Condensate Drain Occasionally pass a stiff wire through the drain. Pour a cup of 50% bleach and 50% water down the drain, the drain is usually a 3/4 inch PVC pipe.
Turn The Power Back On