Keeping Your Outdoor A/C Clean is a Good Practice

Keeping your outdoor A/C clean is a task that can be performed by the homeowner. If you keep your outdoor A/C clean, you will improve the efficiency of the unit and also safeguard yourself against untimely breakdowns. Breakdowns can occur when the A/C unit is dirty, and this may lead to expensive repair bills.

How to clean the outdoor unit of your A/C

• Switch-off the power to the unit – the outside A/C unit should have a shut off box on the exterior that you can switch to the off position, or you can turn off the circuit breaker powering the unit.
• Clean the condenser fins – Check for any debris that may block the airflow and remove. Use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to clean the condenser fins.
• Clean the fan – unscrew the grille on top of the unit and remove the grille and fan carefully. Wipe the fan with a damp cloth and remove any dust or debris.
• Clean the inside – use a water hose to spray the fins from the inside and wash away any dust.
• Re-assemble – Replace the grille and fan making sure to fit everything correctly.
• Check that everything is working – switch the indoor A/C thermostat to the off position after cleaning the outside unit and leave the unit off for 24 hours. When you switch the A/C back on, let it run for 10 minutes and then check the outside pipes that are connected to the unit. One pipe should feel cold and the other warm. If the temperatures of the pipes are not correct, contact your local professional HVAC contractor for assistance.

Keeping the outside A/C clean is not a difficult task, and it is important to clean the unit on a regular basis. If you keep the outside A/C clean, the unit will perform efficiently.

For more information and expert advice about air conditioning maintenance and other issues related to home comfort, please contact Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions Team. We have been serving the Orlando, FL and the Central Florida area since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about outdoor A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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