Get your air conditioner ready for Summer
The Adelaide weather forecast is looking hot, hot and hotter! Is your air conditioner working well in the heat? Have you considered getting your air conditioner serviced by a licensed technician? When an air conditioner isn’t well maintained, you can face unexpected repair bills, higher electricity bills, insufficient cooling, or worse yet, a broken air conditioning unit.
Regular maintenance must be performed if you value a system that functions properly, lower energy bills, and cleaner air in your home.
Should you DIY or call in the professionals?
Whilst you are no doubt able to tackle some simple cleaning of your air conditioner filters, other tasks will require the help of a licensed refrigeration specialist such as Glow. We advise you not to attempt any maintenance work as you may end up doing more harm than good!
A licensed technician will look over your air conditioning unit, fix or upgrade your system, keep it running efficiently, and manage issues before they become larger problems. Here’s what our GlowTechs generally do as part of a routine service:
• Thoroughly clean the condenser and evaporator coils
• Ensure the system as the correct refrigerant charge (beware – this is definitely not a DIY job!)
• Check and tighten electrical connections
• Flush drains
• Check, clean and repair ductwork
• Inspect your unit and recommend repairs to help extend the life of your air conditioner and ensure maximum efficiency
What you can do yourself
Clean or replace filters
If you are keen to do a few things yourself, this should really be your top priority. Some units have disposable filters whilst others, reusable ones that can be cleaned with water. Wash your filters in water if they are reusable and replace your filters if they are disposable. If you can’t locate the filters, refer to the manufacturer’s manual to find out how many filters your air conditioner has and where they are. Throughout the summer, it’s important to clean or replace your filters at least once a month.
Clean the condenser
The outdoor unit of your air conditioning system is called a condenser. It is essentially a large fan in a metal box which needs to be free of blockages. Both the condenser and external vents are likely to attract fallen leaves, plants, dirt and general garden debris. All this can damage your unit and cause it to run less efficiently. Make sure you clear it of any leaves and debris.
Check and clean ducts
Stop here, this is a job for the professionals! Whilst you may be able to inspect your ducts for wear or water damage, getting a licensed technician to perform repairs on any holes in your ducts or seams that have come apart is recommended. You can also maintain some parts of the ductwork yourself by removing registers and wiping the visible parts of the ducts to keep them clean and dry. However, if you detect water damage, make sure you call in the professionals.
Is it time to book in a service?
Glow is an expert in the installation and maintenance of all types and brands of air conditioners. We service all areas of Adelaide and will be sure to give your system a thorough fine tune so that it keeps working at its best throughout Adelaide’s long, hot summer.
Image credit: Daikin
