Tidy Up Your Outdoor A/C and See the Benefits

If your summer cooling bills make you want to cry, you are not alone. Among other things, it’s important to have a clean system, especially the outside condensing unit. Use these tips to clean up your outdoor A/C unit and work on bringing those expenses down to a more reasonable level.

• First, stay safe by turning off the power to the condenser/compressor before you work on it. If you don’t hurt yourself, you could damage the unit if it turns on while you’re cleaning.
• Trim back bushes and trees in the area, and keep the area around the condensing unit clear. This will make it easier to service and reduce the amount of leaf litter clogging up the unit.
• Use a soft brush on your vacuum cleaner and carefully vacuum out the top fins, removing any leaves or other debris caught in the fins. Carefully lift out the fan and wipe it down with a damp cloth.
• Now that you have access to the inside of the fins, use your hose to wash out the fins the rest of the way. Only use medium water pressure to avoid any damage.
• Reassemble the unit and restore the power. However, you should turn your thermostat from cool to off for at least 24 hours after cleaning. Once the appropriate time period has passed, turn the air back on and ensure that the air conditioner is functioning properly. If not, call a professional to diagnose and repair any issues.

If you need your air conditioner serviced before the heat of summer really sets in, please contact us at NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating. We have been servicing outdoor A/C units in South Florida since 1973.