If you’re like most people, you probably go the extra mile to make your home spiffy when spring cleaning rolls around. While this may mean using additional elbow grease for your home’s interior and exterior, there’s one thing you’re probably neglecting: cleaning your air conditioner.
You may have skipped cleaning your air conditioner because you merely overlooked it. Maybe you think it’s too complicated or even dangerous to do. Or you’d rather have a professional do it every few years. Or perhaps you don’t think it’s necessary. Regardless of the reason, a clean A/C is a must if you want to keep your home fresh and keep your pockets full.
The Benefits Of Cleaning Your Air Conditioner
Enjoy Cleaner Air
Do you always cough and sneeze as soon as you walk into your house? Are your eyes frequently watery? Do you suffer from allergies? If so, cleaning your air conditioner can help you clear those stuffy sinuses. Over time, allergens, dirt, and dust can build up in your A/C, causing blockages. Each time it runs, those dirty particles become airborne, causing that discomfort mentioned above. By keeping your A/C clean, you can avoid such issues by breathing in much cleaner air.
A dirty A/C can not only cause discomfort, but it can also become dangerous. Air conditioners and ideal breeding grounds for mold. Once mold starts to grow, it’s harmful spores will get spread throughout your home once your unit turns on.
Save Money
Have you ever needed to repair your A/C or buy an entirely new unit? If so, you know that either situation is an expensive one. Speaking of expenses, you can cut them by cleaning your air conditioner due to increased performance and efficiency. If your A/C is dirty and clogged up with dust and other materials, it will naturally have problems functioning correctly. Also, it will have to work even harder to overcome those obstacles and produce the desired effect. By maximizing your A/C’s efficiency, it will make your home cooler more quickly. In short, you won’t have to run it as much, which will help you save on your energy bill.
Lengthen Your A/C’s Life
Due to the high cost of air conditioners, the last thing you want to have to do is buy a new one. By cleaning your air conditioner in the spring and as frequently as possible, you should be able to avoid that problem. The longer you let dirt and dust build up, the higher the risk that you’ll spend a large chunk of change for a new unit.
What Can Happen When You Avoid Cleaning Your Air Conditioner
It may be a pain, but cleaning your A/C is necessary. Why do so many choose to do it in the spring? Because summer is soon to follow, and could you imagine a hot, steamy summer without chilly air in your home? Of course not.
What could cause your A/C to stall when you need it most? Having it clogged up due to a lack of cleaning and maintenance. This common problem usually arises when warm air fails to pass around the unit’s freon lines. In the end, your coils freeze while you burn up until a professional can come out and fix the problem.
Besides stalling and failing to operate, not cleaning your air conditioner can result in some issues discussed earlier. Due to lack of efficiency, you could see your energy bills increase. You could suffer from poor air quality due to blockages and dirt, dust, or mold that get disbursed throughout your home. In the case of complete failure, your A/C may need replacing altogether.
Tips For Cleaning Your Air Conditioner
Now that you see how important it is to keep your A/C clean, let’s discuss some tips to achieve that goal. The first is to either clean or replace your air filter, usually located inside your home behind an air grille on the wall. You should change the filter every month during times of the year when you use your A/C frequently, such as the summer or winter. Change the filter once during the spring and fall.
Keep an eye on your thermostat. If it seems like it’s inaccurate, your unit may need cleaning because it’s working overtime due to excess dirt.
Do you have a lot of landscaping surrounding your outside unit? Trim any plants that may obstruct it. You should also vacuum up any leaves or other debris that may have fallen inside. Make sure you turn off the unit’s power before beginning this task.
Should You Clean Your A/C Yourself Or Hire A Professional?
Are you the handy type who doesn’t mind getting your hands dirty? If that’s the case, cleaning your air conditioner may be a task you want to tackle personally. You will need time, tools, and specific instructions to clean both the inside and outside unit safely and efficiently. Whatever you do, don’t try to “wing it.”
If you’re not the hands-on type and prefer to have a professional do the job, the spring is the perfect time to schedule service. Doing so will ensure that your A/C will function when you need it most during those hot summer months.
