How To Clean Air Conditioning Unit

Cleaning an air conditioner can be daunting, but it is very important. There are a lot of small, fragile parts that you don’t want to accidentally loosen, break, or spray with water or other cleaning fluids. However, cleaning an AC unit doesn’t have to be rocket science, either. Here are a few tips to help you keep your air conditioning unit in tip-top shape.

1. Switch the Power Off

This is a no-brainer, but since you only really clean your AC unit every few months, it can also be easy to forget that it’s still running when you start to wipe or spray it. Air conditioners have a lot of moving mechanical parts, including the motor and fan blades. Not only do you risk damaging these parts if you try to clean the unit while it’s operating, but you also risk injuring yourself in the process.

2. Clean the Evaporator Coil

Open your AC unit’s door to access the evaporator coil. Depending on the AC model you have, you may have to strip off foil duct tape. You may also need a screwdriver to remove the bolts or screws holding the door in place. You can then use a soft brush to sweep dust off from the coil. Once you remove the dust from the coil, you can then wipe it with a no-rinse coil cleaner that you can purchase from any home improvement store.

3. Clean the AC Drain Compartment

After cleaning the coil, flush out the drain pan with soap and hot water. You can also use bleach to sanitize the compartment. Dilute the bleach with some water, ideally in a 50/50 mixture. You can also buy drain pan tablets to prevent algae growth in the pan.

4. Secure the Access Panel

Make sure to reattach the door after cleaning the inside of your AC. If you had to remove a metal foil tape at the beginning of the procedure, use it to secure the top and bottom edges of the door.

Competitively Priced AC Cleaning Services

While the tips above can help you get started on maintaining a clean and properly functioning AC unit, it’s only half the equation. You’ll also need to clean the exterior portion of your AC. You can reach out to us at KW Lang Mechanical to get professional maintenance work on your Solon, OH, AC unit.