In this article, we'll show you how to clean and maintain your central air conditioner to keep it running efficiently. We won't demonstrate the maintenance steps for a window-mounted model here. Most central air conditioners have two basic parts: an outdoor unit (compressor/condenser) that sits next to your home and an indoor unit (evaporator) that's located in a central duct near your furnace (Fig. A). If you have a heat pump instead of a furnace, the indoor unit will be in the air handler. Use the same maintenance steps we show here. If your furnace looks different from the one in Fig. A, or you have a heat pump, use the owner's manual to find your way around it. The basic parts will be the same. The most important maintenance steps are fairly simple, but if this is the first time you've cleaned the unit, allow about a half day to carefully work through the steps. If you're not up to the task, call a pro (look under “Air Conditioning Contractors” in your Yellow Pages). Cleaning and servicing a central air conditioner costs $100 to $250.

Fig. A shows a typical central air conditioning/furnace setup. Two copper tubes connect the outdoor compressor and its condenser coil (a “coil” is a combination of fins and tubes) to the indoor evaporator coil that's located in the plenum (Fig. A) above the furnace blower. One tube is covered with foam insulation. If you have a heat pump, both tubes will be insulated. Outside, your main job is to clean the condenser coil (Photos 2 - 4). The fan inside the condenser coil sucks air through the fins, and as a result, pulls dirt and debris with it. Dust, leaves, dead grass and anything else that collects on the fins will block airflow and reduce the unit's efficiency. Grass clippings thrown by the lawn mower and “cotton” from cottonwood trees and dandelions are particularly bad offenders. You might have to clear the fins weekly or even daily during the spring “cotton” season! Always begin by shutting off the electrical power (Photo 1). Then proceed with the cleaning (Photos 2 - 4).

If the fan motor (Photo 3) has lubrication ports, apply five drops of special oil for electric motors (not penetrating or all-purpose oil). You can find oil for electric motors at hardware stores. Many fan motors are maintenance-free—they don't have oil ports (ours doesn't) and can't be lubricated. Check your owner's manual if unsure. The compressor and its motor sit inside the coil (Fig. A). They're usually sealed and won't need maintenance. However, if you have an older compressor that's belt-driven by a separate motor, lubricate the motor through its oil ports. In every case, keep an eye out for dark drip marks on the bottom of the compressor case or pad (Photo 5). This indicates an oil leak; the compressor or tubes might be leaking coolant (refrigerant) as well. If you find a leak, call in a pro to check the problem. Don't tighten joints to try to stop leaks yourself! Over-tightening can make the problem worse. And only a pro with proper equipment can recharge the system to the proper level of coolant.

IP address: 54.190.214.12Time: 2016-09-25T15:44:07ZURL: http://www.youtube.be/watch%3Fv%3D0GC8SutGGDEThis is the  first in our how to series. In this video will be cleaning air conditioning coils . In this video I intend to demonstrate the best method I have found for cleaning air conditioning coils. pure air purifiersAfter 35 years in the a/c business I have have tried every possible method and most of them just do not work as well. compact room air purifierCleaning your coil is one of the most important diy projects you can take on yourself. air purifier best allergiesIt does not take that long and the results are worth every minute. Air conditioning systems do not produce cold air they remove the heat from the air there by cooling it or leaving it in a state of cold.

The heat transfer takes place in both the indoor coil and outdoor coil. The heat that was picked up by the indoor coil is expelled by the outdoor coil. If this coil is dirty it will compromise efficiency and if it is clogged it will stop the transfer all together. How often you should clean your coil depends on where you live and the location of the condensing unit. It is not good to let it go to long. We realize this video could have been better and we will post another in it’s place as we get better at doing this. Believe it or not this clip took a very long time to make and edit. Please turn off power to your unit before you open anything or start spraying water. In the video I talk about the coil cleaners that are available at supply houses, many of them say coil brightener or foaming degreaser, some even say non acid foaming cleaner (Yet they smell like acid to me). They all have one thing in common they do more harm then good. Please use a mild cleaner when ever possible.

I use simple green. And I never use the aerosol can cleaners that are available. They are only good for an emergency. They contain harsh chemicals and I prefer not to breath them what ever they are. I used one of them a few years ago and was not impressed. Thanks and I hope this video helps.Edit ArticleHow to Clean Air Conditioner Coils Cleaning your air conditioner's condenser coils regularly will let your air conditioner run cooler with less energy and make you feel more comfortable. The best time to clean your air conditioner is in the spring, just before you anticipate using it for the first time in the year. Here are the steps to follow to clean your air conditioner coils. Disconnect power to the air conditioner. Trim away any plant growth around the air conditioner. Detach the outer case or access panels. Remove the top of the air conditioner. Clean and lubricate the fan assembly. Brush away surface dirt from the air conditioner coils.

Spray-clean away trapped dirt from the coils. You can do this with just water, or if the dirt is considerable, a biodegradable foaming cleaner mixed with water. Spray the cleaner from the outside in and let it soak in for 10 to 15 minutes. You may wish to re-apply the cleaner and let the second application soak for another 5 minutes. Before you spray the air conditioner, cover any electric wires or motors with plastic. Rinse away the cleaner from the coils. Inspect the coil fins for any damage. Reassemble the air conditioner. You should only need to fully clean the air conditioner once a year, but if you live near cottonwood trees or dandelions, you may have to clean the unit more frequently during the spring, possibly weekly or even daily. The above instructions can also be used if you own a heat pump, as the external condenser unit is constructed similar to an air conditioner. If you spot any problems during the cleaning process, such as an oil leak or damage to the refrigerant coolers, contact an air conditioner service technician.