How to Clean a Central Air Conditioner
Regular cleaning and maintenance helps appliances continue to perform at peak performance. For example, all parts of your central air-conditioning unit should be cleaned at the beginning of the season. If you have never cleaned a central air conditioner before, you just need a little knowledge to clean like a pro in no time. Most central air conditioners have two components, one indoor and one outdoor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Vacuum cleaner
- Vacuum cleaner bristle brush attachment
- Bleach
- Water
- Funnel
Instructions
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The Outdoor Unit
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1
Disconnect the central air conditioner from its power source. Usually the appliance shutoff box is near the air conditioner outside unit. Or turn off the circuit breaker connected to the air conditioner.
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2
Remove the outer case of the outdoor central air-conditioning unit to expose the air conditioner fins. This might require removing the screws of a protective case.
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3
Use the bristle brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner to thoroughly vacuum the fins. Depending on how much built up dirt there is, you may need to empty your vacuum cleaner before finishing.
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4
Remove the air conditioner grille on the outside unit. This will likely involve removing the screws that hold the grill in place. When you remove the grill, a fan should be attached to it.
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5
Vacuum the inside of the air-conditioning unit, then replace the grill and outer case.
The Indoor Component
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6
Turn off the power supply to your furnace before cleaning an indoor central air-conditioning unit.
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7
Open the blower compartment of the air-conditioning unit. Use the bristle brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner to vacuum inside the compartment.
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8
Mix together a cleaning solution of one part bleach to 16 parts water. Use a funnel to pour this solution directly into the condensation drain to clean out any algae or sludge that has accumulated.
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9
Turn the power source back on for the air-conditioning unit and furnace.
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1
References
- Photo Credit air conditioner vent image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com
