How to Clean Your Air Conditioning? – AC Dallas

AC Dallas – According to the CDC to help mitigate the proliferation of mold you should routinely clean your AC. Unhealthy indoor air pollution can account for up to 50% or more of all illnesses nationwide. Poor indoor air quality can also impact the AC system’s efficiency, lifespan and reliability. With all of that in mind, it makes absolute sense to maintain a level of cleanliness in air conditioner. By regularly maintaining the air conditioner, this will increase its lifespan, efficiency, reliability, and most of all – your health. If you are looking to find out how to do a pretty good job at cleaning your home’s air conditioner then this article is for you. However, if you are looking for a thorough and professional cleaning then you will need to get in touch with a professional AC Dallas service company, such as, Metro Express Service.

How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Filter?

Air conditioner filters are a breeding pool for different types of bacteria, fungi, pet dander, dust, tobacco smoke, and more. Most manufacturers state that the air conditioner filter should be cleaned or replaced every 30 days. However, the time between cleaning the filter or exchanging one will largely depend on the amount of traffic and more. A good rule of thumb is to change it out every 30 days at a minimum. However, if you have a large household and many pets for example, you may find out that you will need to change the filter more often than the 30 days.

Cleaning and / or exchanging an air conditioner filter will ensure that there is unrestricted airflow. It will also help mitigate indoor air pollutants.  One of the best types of air filters that is available are HEPA filters. However, you will need to check with your manufacturer to see if your air conditioner is compatible or you can reach out to your local AC Dallas service company for assistance. Below we go over the steps to cleaning an air conditioner’s filter:

1. Vacuum the filter or wash it thoroughly with hot water. If the filter is exceptionally dirty, use a mild household detergent to wash it with.
2. If it has an odor, use a little bit of baking soda water before rinsing it.
3. Once the filter is cleaned, set it aside and allow it to dry before reinstalling it.

Do not…

1. Clean the air conditioner filter in a dishwasher or washing machine.
2. Do not use the air conditioner until the filter has been replaced.

How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Coils?

Homeowners with a little know-how may opt to clean their air conditioners coils themselves. However, homeowners who are not competent in their skillset should not do this but instead contact a professional AC Dallas company. If you opt to clean the air conditioner coils yourself you will need a few tools that you likely have lying around the house.

Tools You will Need to Clean the Outdoor Compressor Coils:

• Coil Cleaner
• Coil Comb
• Drill or Hex Driver
• Garden Hose
• Non-Absorbent Gloves
• Paper Towels or Rags
• Plastic Bags
• Side Cuts
• Soft Paint Brush or Toothbrush
• Spray Bottle
• Rubber Bands

Cleaning the Outdoor Condenser Coils

The first thing that you will want to do is turn off the AC at the thermostat. Next, shut off the power to the AC condenser coil. In order to accomplish this, you will need to open the disconnect that should be mounted to the side of the home near the unit. Once you have found it, just pull the handle and the terminal should come out and then remove the stab connection or fuses. If you cannot find the disconnect or do not have one for whatever reasons then you can shut the power off at the breaker panel.

      Remove the top of the Condenser Unit

• Now that the power has been shut off, remove the top of the outdoor condenser unit. You should find some bolts that are attached to the top of the condenser unit, loosen them and remove them. Make sure that you do not loosen the bolts that hold the fan to the lid of the condenser unit. To accomplish this step, you will need to use a hex driver or a drill to remove the bolts. The bolts will usually be ¼”, 3/8”, or ½” in size.

      The Access Panel

• Once you have removed the lid with the fan still attached, place it safely away if you have enough slack in the wiring to do so. If not, it is most likely that the slack for the wiring has been tied up in the access panel. If this is the case with you, open the access panel and cut the zip tie wrapped around the wires to obtain the slack you need. With the access panel open, you should go ahead and use a rag or paint brush to clean out any webs, dirt and debris that may have found its way inside the access panel.

      Metal Casing

• With the top off and securely out of the way, you may see that there is metal casing or a cabinet surrounding the condenser coils. Look for the bolts that secure the casing or cabinet in place and carefully remove it, ensuring not to cause any damage to the condenser fins. Using a rag, clean any dirt and / or debris you find on the casing.

      The Compressor

• Once the casing is securely out of the way and cleaned now is the time to move on to the base of the outdoor condenser unit where the compressor is located. This is where you will most likely find a good bit of decaying leaves and other debris that has fallen into the top of the unit. This debris will insulate the compressor which decreases the amount of airflow and causes stress on the system. Gently and carefully clean out all of the debris.

      Condenser Fins

• With the base cleaned out, next we move onto the fins themselves. This is where you will use the coil comb that you most likely had to purchase. Ensure that you use the side of the comb with the spaced teeth or could end up causing a good bit of damage to the fins.  When sliding the comb through the fins, if you come across resistance, do not force it through or you could damage the delicate metal fins. In areas where the fins are slightly dented, gently wiggle the brush through it. If you do not have a coil brush then you could use an object such as a butter knife but it will drastically increase the amount of time to accomplish this.

      Pre-Soak the Condenser Fins

• The next step is to presoak the outdoor condenser unit. You will want to make sure that you do not soak the disconnect or the electrical components inside the access panel. To prevent this, get a large plastic bag and some duct tape or rubber bands to insulate them from the water. Once you have secured the access panel and disconnect spray the unit down.

      Clean the Condenser Fins

• Finally spray the outdoor condenser coils with a coil cleaner mix. Make sure that you cover the coils front, back, top and bottom with a good amount of the coil cleaner. Make sure that you follow the directions provided by the manufacturer of your coil cleaner for mixing ratios and setting time. Let the cleaner do its job and allow it to soak in. Afterwards, hose down the unit again.

      Seal it Up

• Finally, remove the plastic bags or whatever you used to protect the disconnect and access panel. Make sure that no water is inside the access panel or on any of the electrical components. If all is good, seal the unit back up, making sure to zip tie the wiring you may have loosened from the access panel. Plug the disconnect back in and / or the breaker and the thermostat.

Cleaning the Indoor Evaporator Coils

Unfortunately, cleaning the indoor evaporator coils is not as easy as the outdoor condenser coils are. The first problem is access to the indoor evaporator coils is not so simple.  However, if your system does have an access panel to the indoor evaporator coils, then wonderful.  If this is the case with your system, you can spray the coils with a coil cleaner spray. No need to hose it down, as you can rely on the condensation to do that for you when the system is in use. If you are able to reach under the coils and have pets then you might be able to gently remove any pet dander you feel underneath the coils.

However, usually the indoor evaporator coil is completely removed in order for it to have a thorough cleaning. This is not something the typical homeowner can do. It requires special tools and on top of that it is illegal without the proper licensing. If you want the job done 100%, you will need to contact an AC Dallas service company to do this for you.

How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Ducts?

Chances are you do not own a high-powered vacuum that has a 150-foot-long hose. If you opt to clean your home’s air conditioner ducts you will not be able to reach bit of the duct system but with a few household tools and a heavy-duty shop vac you will be able to clean out a good bit of it. However, if you want the job done thoroughly, then most likely you will need to hire an AC Dallas service company to do the job for you.

You can learn more about cleaning out your Air Conditioning Ducts here.

About Metro Express Service – Dallas Heating and Air

Founded in 1987, Metro Express Service serves the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington, Texas metropolitan area. Our rock-solid commitment to professional heating and cooling services and superb customer service makes us one of the best. We provide professional AC Dallas services to both residential and light commercial. Metro Express Service is one of the most trusted and recognized brands in the DFW metropolitan area.

At Metro Express Service, our air conditioning company in Dallas, TX is only as good as the people we employ. With that in mind we have worked to employ the best in the area. We do this to meet our goals with providing professional AC Dallas services and superior customer service. From our friendly, attentive dispatchers, to our technicians, installers, and administrative staff members, we employ the best. Our goal to provide and maintain the most informed and productive force in the industry. We also have an in-house finance manager with over ten years of banking and financing specialized training and experience. They will work with you with finding ideal financing options at the best available rates.

Metro Express Service offers 24-hour, 7-days-a-week emergency service. With our innovative technologies and equipment, we can provide some of the most cost-effective AC Dallas services. Metro Express Service also employs over 40 vans and installation vehicles. Our fleet is located from two centralized locations across the Arlington, Fort Worth and Dallas metropolitan area. This allows our dispatchers to fine tune our response time to our customers. Which allows us to provide professional AC Dallas services to our customers. For professional heating and cooling service that you can rely every time get in touch with Metro Express Service today.