The best thing you, as a homeowner, can do to protect your air conditioner is to frequently check your air filter and change it as needed. Scheduling proper annual AC maintenance can also help you avoid some air conditioning repairs.
Dirty evaporator or condenser coils, for instance, can contribute to your air conditioning unit’s breakdown and even its early demise. You can hose off the condenser coils yourself, as they are easily accessed outside and as long as you are careful and make sure that the water stream runs even with the coils you will not damage your system. If you are not careful the water can bend the coils. Especially if you put your thumb over the water to make a stronger stream. Evaporator coils, however, are a little harder to get to and should only be serviced by a licensed professional HVAC technician.
Another important component of your AC, the blower motor, should also be cleaned from time to time. Because your air conditioning unit is outside, it quickly and easily collects dust, dirt, and pollen. Even larger debris, such as leaves and twigs, can get past the protective grate. These can build up and adhere to your air conditioning unit’s components.
When your AC’s coils are coated in dust, it’s much harder for them to release the warm air outside. This is one of the things that can lead to your AC freezing up.
