1. Unplug unit; 2. Clean the filter; 3. Wipe down the grill and exterior; 4. Dust off the fins and coils; 5. Clean out the tray and drain; 6. After cleaned surfaces have dried, Reassemble; 7. Pour yourself a beverage of choice, give yourself a well-done pat on the back, turn on the unit and enjoy the improved performance!
I Ceramic Coated my AC Unit.
Best looking AC unit in town!
For two-part systems (heat pump outside / air handler inside) one of the most effective ways to keep it humming is simply to keep it clean. Remove leaves, twigs, and other debris from gathering on the unit and inside also. After removing Mother Nature’s debris, a couple times a year use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to spray down the cooling vanes. Don’t use a power washer machine as their output can distort the cooling fins. Some folks recommend that you pre-wash the cooling fins with a commercial spray-on cleaner product before hosing down but I haven’t found the need for that.
Thanks to nameless faceless bureaucrats the coils used to cool down the hot compressed freon are thinner. While that does make them more efficient it also makes them break sooner.
Our maintenance guy just took a hose to them.
During this last heat wave, my air conditioning system wouldn't keep up, so I called them for help to service the unit. They sent a technician who told me that it was "too old and parts were not available anymore" and then quickly recommended a new unit for a mere $16,000. I believed him and gave them a $5,300 down payment from our savings - then thought a bit more and called them to cancel and give me a refund. I had done a search of the reviews of F.H.Furr and discovered that the original company had been sold to a conglomerate in Florida and they had a bunch of negative reviews over their new policy of upselling rather than repairing.
I called a local outfit who cleaned the outside unit with a hose and reduced the excess refrigerant and it's been working perfectly ever since.
Coveat Emptor.
add:
<> blow out drain line as there an auto shut off switch when drain pain is flooded and clogged
<> be sure to check to make sure unit is properly grounded