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6 Ways to Maintain Your Air Conditioner Condenser This Fall

11/07/17


The cooling season has come to an end. Now that your air conditioner condenser is put to rest for the winter, this is the perfect time to perform a little maintenance. Knowing what to do to maintain your condenser can help extend the life of your air conditioner while also preventing system inefficiency.

Weed and Rake Around the Condenser

Your air conditioner condenser works by extracting heat from your home and blowing it into the yard. To do this, your condenser needs proper air flow.

At this time of year, dead leaves and dry yard rubbish blown around the yard can clog the fins of your condenser, restricting air flow to the unit. To prevent problems, weed and rake around the condenser throughout the fall and winter. Remove piles of leaves that build up around the fins. If weeds take hold in the area, remove them as soon as they are produced.

Remove Dead Plants From The Growing Season

Your garden might have been beautiful over the summer, but it’s likely to be dry and past its prime at this point. Removing dead and dry plants from your landscape can help prevent the buildup of yard waste that can accumulate around your condenser.

Pull plants before they blow dead leaves around your yard. To dispose of waste, put it in a trash. Do not leave waste laying around your yard.

Mulch With Rocks

Spreading mulch in the area around the condenser can stop weeds and plants from growing. Not all mulch is right for the area around your condenser, however. For example, wood mulch can contain small, lightweight pieces that are likely to clog your condenser fins.

Rock mulch made from 1-2 inch rock pieces is an effective type of mulch for the area around your condenser, because it’s unlikely to be blown into your air conditioner and create problems.

Remove Up Close Fences And Shrubs

Your condenser needs about 2 feet of clearance from all obstructions. Fences, shrubs and other objects in the landscape that fall within this 2 foot radius need to be removed. Homeowners who wish to cover their condenser to make their landscaping more attractive can plant or install a border if it is kept at least 2 feet from the condenser.

When choosing a type of shrub to plant around your condenser, look for evergreen varieties with longliving needles, or look for shrubs that do not lose their leaves frequently.

Vacuum the Condenser Interior

With the leaves raked, weeds pulled and nearby obstructions removed, now is the time to clean out the inside of the condenser. To do this, cut the power to the air conditioner, then unscrew the lid from the top of the condenser. Use a wet-dry vacuum to remove leaves and dirt from the interior of the unit.

Clean the Coils

While you’re looking in the condenser, check the coils for dirt and grime. If the coils are dirty, use a coil cleaner and a soft scrub brush to clean the area. When you’re finished, spray the inside of the condenser with a jet of water from a hose. Don’t worry about getting the inside of the air conditioner wet; your unit is designed to withstand water from rain and other elements.

Contact Your Air Conditioner Repair Contractor For More Help

Maintaining your air conditioner throughout the fall and winter can help extend the life of your home’s A/C. For more information about how to maintain your home’s condenser and reduce inefficiency in your air conditioner, contact HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Drains at (513) 333-4357. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Posted in: Air Conditioning, Cooling, Maintenance

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