How To Effectively Clean Your Single-Room Air Conditioner Unit
If you have a single-room air conditioner unit in your house, and it is not working as effectively as it has in the past, what it probably needs is a good cleaning. Your air conditioning unit will work more effectively when all the coils and parts are clean. Follow the steps below to effectively clean your air conditioning unit today.
Materials:
- Screwdriver
- Fin Comb
- Leather Gloves
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Foam Household Cleaner
- Nylon-Bristle Brush
- Rags
- Electric Motor Oil
- Screwdriver
- Air Filter
Remove Air Conditioner Unit From The Window Or Wall
The first thing you are going to need to do is remove your air conditioning unit from the window or wall where it is located. You'll need to remove the plastic panel that is holding it in place. Most of these panels go around the outside edge of your unit and snap off. If the unit is secured with a mounting frame, you will need to use a screw driver to remove the mounting panel. Pay attention to where each screw goes; they may not all be the same length and they need to go back into the exact hole that they came out of.
Once you snap off the plastic panel or mounting frame holding it in place, slide the unit out. You may want to get someone to help you slide out the air conditioning unit. They tend to be heavy and bulky, so having someone on each side of the unit will make it easier to slide out. Place your air conditioning unit on top of a sheet of plastic or some newspapers so that you have a cleaning area to work with.
Comb Out The Mat
Next, you'll want to get out your fin comb kit. You'll use the fin comb kit to comb the fin spacing on the coils on your unit. Put on your leather gloves before you begin this process; you don't want to get cut.
Push the comb into the coils and then pull the comb in an upward motion to straight out the fins. The fins need to be straight in order for your air conditioner to work effectively; over time, they tend to get smashed and warped.
Vacuum Your Unit
Get our your vacuum cleaner and clean up all visible build-up on the coils and on your unit. Make sure that you get rid of any lingering cobwebs and dirt. You may want to use the attachments that come with your vacuum cleaner in order to ensure that it is as clean as possible.
Use A Foam Cleaner On The Coils
After you vacuum your unit, take the foam household cleaner that you purchased and spray it on the coils. Allow the foam to expand and break down the dirt that has built up on your coils. Use a nylon-bristle brush to gently scrub the coils clean. Finally, wipe down the coils with an old rag to remove any remaining cleaner from your unit.
Wipe Down The Fan Blades
Use a general spray household cleaner on the fan blades. Just spray each blade with the cleaner, and wipe them off with a rag. Make sure that you clean both sides of each blade.
If your unit has oiling ports, you'll want to open them up and put in a few drops of electric motor oil to ensure that your unit works as effective as possible.
Air Filter
Slide the old air filter out of the unit and replace it with a new air filter. If you don't want to purchase a new air filter at this time, you can use the same cleaning method you using on the coils to clean the air filter. Just make sure you allow the air filter to dry completely before you put it back into your unit.
Once you have completed all the steps above, get someone to help you slide your air conditioning unit back into place. If it has a mounting frame, be sure to put all the screws back in the same holes and if your unit has plastic panel that goes around it, snap it in place. Your unit should work more effectively now that all its parts are clean. For more information, contact companies like Arc Electric & Air Conditioning & Heating Inc.
