If your A/C condenser is dirty, it won’t work as well, and your energy bills will go up. But don’t worry, we’re here to tell you how to clean it:
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Garden hose with a spray nozzle
- Brush (a stiff brush is best, but a regular brush will work too)
- Fin straightener
- Screwdriver
Here’s what you won’t need:
- Power washer. This is too much pressure and can damage your A/C fins! Just use a regular hose.
Here’s how to do it:
- Turn off your A/C unit. You don’t want to be spraying water around live electrical components!
- First, remove large debris like leaves or sticks (or animal nests, if you have neglected to clean your system) before getting the hose.
- Turn your hose on, holding the hose nozzle about a foot away from the condenser coils. Now it’s time to start spraying! Work your way around the entire unit, getting all of the dirt and grime off.
- Once your system has been washed off, get the brush ready. Scrub the coils gently, working your way around the unit.
- You can easily buy what’s called a “fin comb straightener” from any hardware store or online and use this to straighten out any bent fins on your coils.! But be sure not to poke into the tubing within the fins accidentally.
- Use a screwdriver to unscrew the top grille of the unit.
- Lift the fan blade and clean it with soapy water. Rinse it off and dry it with a clean cloth.
- Carefully remove any debris like sticks or leaves that may have fallen into the unit.
- Replace the top grille and screw it back on.
- Turn your A/C unit back on and enjoy the cool air!
You’re done!
Cleaning your A/C condenser is a simple way to keep your unit running efficiently. By taking the time to do this once a year, you can save yourself money because your unit won’t have to work as hard, which means lower energy bills!
And that’s it! You’ve now successfully cleaned your A/C condenser coils.
But what if you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself? And what if you need a technician to do other parts of an A/C tune-up and clean all the essential components? Such as making sure everything is operating according to the manufacturer’s requirements, checking electrical parts, ensuring refrigerant levels, and emptying the condensate drain?
These are all things that Biard & Crockett technicians do on our A/C tune-ups to make sure your system is running optimally and keeps running that way. So, if you’d rather have a professional do it, feel free to give us a call! We’re always happy to help. Contact us online or call now: (714) 602-1299