DIY air conditioner cleaning





Split systems have become an integral part of the daily life of modern housing and any room. Air conditioners not only effectively cope with the summer heat, but also heat the room in the cold season, and most importantly - the split-system cleans the air of bacteria, thanks to a special filter. Reliable and high-quality operation of any equipment depends on regular maintenance. Therefore, since it is important to know how to clean the air conditioner with your own hands in case you cannot attract a specialist for routine maintenance.

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Air conditioner pollution: causes and consequences

Unlike other household appliances, such as a TV or microwave, changes in the climate system are not noticeable, and all the problems accumulate gradually. But once, having reached a critical level, all the accumulated problems lead to the fact that the device simply ceases to cope with its functions of cooling and heating the air in the room.

The main causes of pollution:

• The degree of air pollution.
• Indicators of humidity.
• The height of the split system.

Important! Specialists in device maintenance argue that air conditioners, which are located on the highest floors of the building, absorb much less dust and harmful substances that pollute the atmosphere than devices located on the lower floors. And the greatest concentration of dust is observed near highways, construction sites and industrial enterprises.

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When do I need to urgently clean my air conditioner with my own hands?

Immediate cleaning of the air conditioner is necessary in the following cases:

• Strong and unpleasant odor that appears immediately after turning on the climate system.
• Condensation leakage from the indoor unit during operation.
• The appearance of loud noise and crackle when the system is connected to the network.
• Reducing the power of the climate system.
• Excessive energy consumption.

Important! If you carefully care for the climate system, then it will be able to work out its entire resource without additional repairs, and this is a lot - 7-12 years of quality work.

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What needs to be cleaned?

Do-it-yourself cleaning of the air conditioner is, of course, possible, but for this you need to have a clear idea of ​​the procedure.

Important! Air conditioning is a relatively simple device, but if handled carelessly, it can be damaged. Perform all work strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions and very carefully.

To clean up the climate system, it is necessary to clean:

• The filters of the indoor unit. A clogged filter traps air, forcing the unit to spend more energy, and such work at the “limit” of power will lead to compressor failure.
• Drainage channel. A congestion in the condensate drainage system will damage the air conditioner, as the inside of the device will simply flood with water.
• Housings of the outdoor unit.External cleaning of the air conditioner at home is very important, since it is the outdoor unit that is in contact with dust, small debris and insects every second. If external cleaning is ignored, then the compressor and condenser located in the outdoor unit will not live more than two or three seasons.

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How often should I clean the air conditioner?

Mentioned elements: filter, drainage and housing must be cleaned more than once. The frequency of this procedure depends on the location of the climate system and the functional purpose. For example:

• external cleaning of a split system located on floors 1-4 is needed before each new launch season;
• located on floors 7-8, the system practically does not come into contact with dust and organic waste, therefore it is necessary to clean it with a frequency of 2-3 years;
• an air conditioner installed at the level of 10-12 floors needs external cleaning with a frequency of 3-4 years - that is why the external units of industrial climate systems are located on the roof of the building;
• “Winter” cleaning of the external unit from ice and icicles deserves special mention - if the climate system works in the cold season, it is necessary to clean the external case periodically so that the icicles do not damage a passer-by or a parked car;
• internal cleaning of the split system must be carried out before the start of the operational period;
• internal cleaning of filters must be carried out at intervals of 2-3 times per month.

Important! Cleaning the drainage of the air conditioner is carried out as necessary, you can visually control the patency of the drainage channels by wet spots on the foundation of the building.

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Cleaning the air conditioner indoor unit

The most vulnerable part of the air conditioner is the indoor unit, which resembles a fine mesh through which air enters the device. The internal filter is located under the front panel of the unit, it is he who catches the smallest particles of dust and specks, preventing them from getting not only into the room, but also into individual elements of the system, for example, into the radiator.

Important! The filter of the indoor unit must be cleaned regularly - under normal operating conditions, once every two to three weeks, and even more often in dirty conditions.

How important is it to clean the indoor unit on time?

Untimely cleaning of the indoor unit of the air conditioner can lead to the following malfunctions:

• Decrease in intensity of a radiator blowing.
• A significant decrease in the quality of air cooling.
• Violation of the functioning of the refrigeration system of the device, as a result - ice on copper pipelines and thawed ice dripping on the floor after turning off the device.
• Drainage system pollution. Dust accumulated in the filter, after a certain time, will begin to accumulate in lumps that can block the drainage, and as a result, water on the floor and walls.

Important! Cleaning the air conditioner and all its units must be approached very carefully and delicately, as with rough handling and improper maintenance, the split system may fail. In addition, aggressive household detergents must not be used when cleaning, because all household chemicals will subsequently end up in the room with air. That is why only special liquid for cleaning air conditioners should be used.

What to clean?

The problem areas of the indoor unit include:

• Filter.
• Evaporator grate.
• Drain pan.
• Turbine.

Important! All of the above system nodes are clogged with different intensities. Therefore, they need to be cleaned with irregular intervals.

Consider how to clean each problem node of the indoor unit.

Cleaning the climate filter

A simple filter cleaning operation is as follows:

1. Open the top cover of the unit.
2. Remove the air filters.
3. Shake dust off the filters.Use a vacuum cleaner to dry dirt.
4. Soak the filters in warm soapy water for several minutes to rid them of dust, dirt and grease.
5. Rinse the filter cartridge under high pressure, being careful not to damage the filter.
6. Allow the cassette to dry naturally.
7. Insert the filter into place.
8. Close the housing with a cover.

You must admit that this simple work takes a minimum of time, and its benefits are enormous. Therefore, do not ignore such maintenance of the air conditioner with your own hands, do it in a timely manner.

Rotor Turbine Maintenance

The rotary fan must be cleaned as it becomes dirty. If frequent cleaning of the filter is necessary, it is enough to service the fan only once a year - at the end of the operating season.

The rotary fan is a special roller that distills the flow of cold air into the room. To clean the rotor:

1. Open the cover of the indoor unit.
2. Remove the filter.
3. Apply soapy water to the blades by turning the fan by hand. For this procedure, use a brush with a long pile.
4. Leave the solution for a few minutes.
5. Cover the floor with plastic wrap.
6. Start the air conditioner.
7. After a few minutes, turn off the device.
8. Finish cleaning the blades with a brush dipped in soapy water.
9. Clean the ventilation holes located in the top cover of the unit. These openings help the air flow into the internal unit of the system and they need high-quality cleaning.
10. Clean the inside of the device from any residual dirt.
11. Insert the filter cartridge back and cover it with the grill and cover.

Important! Since the air filter of the air conditioner works on a static effect, it must be cleaned at least once a week. Even a small amount of dust can cause the filters to malfunction. It should be noted that maintenance of the filtration system is not included in the warranty repair of the device, therefore, all work on cleaning the filters must be done independently.

How to clean the heat exchanger in the indoor unit?

A heat exchanger that looks like a regular radiator needs regular maintenance. It is located either under the cover or under the filters - depending on the model of the device.

Important! The latter option is found in models of air conditioners with a dual air purification system.

Cleaning work must be done very carefully so as not to damage the heat exchanger and not injure your hand. Service the evaporator grill once a year, before putting the system into operation for the first time.

Proceed as follows:

1. Open the air conditioner cover.
2. Carefully remove the front grille covering the heat exchanger.
3. Prepare a vacuum cleaner and a brush with a long handle.
4. Attach a narrow nozzle to the vacuum cleaner hose.
5. Turn on the vacuum cleaner, and bring the nozzle tip to the evaporator.
6. Using a long-bristled brush, remove dirt from the evaporator and collect it using the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner.
7. Carefully finish cleaning the radiator fins.
8. Replace all dismantled items and close the air conditioner cover.

Important! If the heat exchanger is too dirty, use steam cleaning. This work is carried out only by qualified specialists, using special equipment for cleaning air conditioners.

Useful Tips

Clean the indoor unit of the air conditioner using a special spray, which has not only a disinfecting, but also a disinfecting effect:

1. Spray the conditioner cleaning fluid onto the radiator until it begins to drip onto the floor.
2. Leave the product for 2-3 minutes, after which, repeat the procedure.
3. After cleaning, remove any remaining drug from the tubes and housing.
4. Do not wipe the heat exchanger so as not to deform the lamellas and not spoil the packing.Let the surplus funds flow naturally.

Air conditioning drainage cleaning

Antibacterial treatment of the air conditioner is necessary for drainage. This is a special event, which includes servicing both internal and external nodes of the device.

If a steam generator is available, then this procedure will go even faster than cleaning the filters:

1. It is enough to “blow out” the steam into the case of the blocks and the antibacterial cleaning is completed.
2. With another approach, you will have to wash the entire system and treat it with an antibacterial composition based on alcohol or an agent containing chlorine. In this case, it is better to spray the antibacterial drug with a spray gun.

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Cleaning the outdoor unit

The external unit of the device is polluted no less than the internal, therefore, it also needs to be cleaned regularly, at least twice a year. A vacuum cleaner can be used for cleaning the external unit of the air conditioner, but it must be powerful enough to draw out all the dust not only from the heat transfer radiators, but also from the external filters.

Technology

The procedure itself looks quite simple:

1. Open the case of the external unit.
2. Remove large debris with a brush.
3. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove small debris.
4. Treat the filter grate with a soft-bristle brush.
5. Replace the housing cover.

Precautionary measures:

1. If the external unit of the system is at the level of 3-5 meters above the foundation, then you can use the usual ladder for work.
2. If the climate system is located high above the ground, it is enough to unscrew the grill that protects the internal elements of the device, and treat the parts with a vacuum cleaner, and then wipe it with a soft cloth.
3. If this process fails, call qualified personnel who will remove the unit and thoroughly clean it.
4. If the outdoor unit is within your reach, then use a can of compressed air or a compressor to solve the problem of servicing the air conditioner with your own hands. Push the hose with the fitting into the body of the outdoor unit and open the valve (turn on the compressor). Debris and dust will be removed outside the block grate.

Important! All maintenance work must only be carried out on a de-energized unit..

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Automatic cleaning of the air conditioner

Modern models of climate systems are equipped with additional options that ensure uninterrupted operation of the device. In particular, an automatic cleaning system is also included in the additional functionality.

Here the options may be as follows:

1. The split system is cleaned using standard technology: the air flows idle, passing through the system, dry the heat exchanger and other internal components of the device.
2. Some modern climate system models use ionic air purification. Thanks to a special device, oxygen or nitrogen ions are able to bind dust particles, charging them. As a result, charged particles are easily captured by the dust collector.
3. Another variety of device models uses ionized water dust, a multi-stage air filtration and ionization system. Such protection of air flows allows you to clean the air efficiently and eliminate all unpleasant odors.

Important! If the climate system is equipped with a built-in sensor, the device itself will monitor the composition of the air and, if necessary, start the self-cleaning system.

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Preparing the climate system for the season

DIY split-system maintenance includes a certain number of works in a given season. In order to carry out this work correctly and not to perform unnecessary activities with an additional waste of time, read the correct procedure for servicing the air conditioner.

We are preparing a split system for the summer season:

1. Clean the air conditioner evaporator.
2. Service the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit.
3. Check the operation of the device in all modes.

Important! All preparatory work must be done independently or invited for this purpose by the master, as these activities are not included in the warranty service of split systems.

Winter preservation:

1. Complete cleaning of all device nodes.
2. Antibacterial treatment.
3. Checking the pressure in the cooling system.
4. Blackout.

Important! If there is a lack of refrigerant in the system, it will need to be added or replaced, and this can only be done by specialized companies. If you are faced with just such a situation, then it is better to delegate the entire conservation procedure to specialists.

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Useful tips and tricks

When servicing the climate system, follow these precautions.

Rule 1

Clearly follow the recommendations of restrictions on the operation and maintenance of split systems with your own hands:

• Do not clean system components with solvents or mineral spirits. Do not use acetone or other chemicals for this purpose.
• Never disassemble the equipment when it is turned on.
• Do not clean up in the presence of children.
• Do not insert metal objects or tools into the equipment.
• Before starting work, be sure to read the instructions and description of the equipment.

Rule 2

Use the following household care products in your work:

• Special silicone comb brushes for cleaning fine grids.
• Cleaning spray for conditioners with antiseptic effect. The tool effectively removes any dirt and grease.
• Sets of rags made of soft material that absorbs moisture well.

Rule 3

Since the maintenance of the external unit of the system requires special skills, and access to the nodes can be difficult, then:

• After purchasing and installing the air conditioner, enter into a service contract. The company's employees will hold the following events:
  1. Cleaning the air conditioner indoor unit.
  2. Prevention of the outdoor unit.
  3. Inspection of the drainage system.
  4. Elimination of breakdowns and malfunctions.
  5. Refueling the air conditioner with freon
• Entrust the first 2-3 cleanings of the device to specialists who will perform work using a steam generator and other special equipment. Use the gained experience and knowledge in the future on your own.

Important! If the first signs of system instability appear, turn off the device and contact a service center.

Rule 4

Monitor the level of freon in the system, as the normal operation of the device allows refrigerant leakage within 6-8%.

Important! Leakage of freon can affect the operation of the climate system, but only specialists can check the refrigerant pressure and determine the causes of its leakage.

Among the signs of refrigerant leakage are:

• Icing of choke joints, i.e. copper pipe connection areas.
• The overall decrease in the efficiency of the device when the air, even during prolonged operation of the system, is not cooled.

Important! The evaporation of the coolant occurs naturally, due to a special method of connecting the tubes of the system. To avoid a critical drop in the level of refrigerant, it is necessary to refill the air conditioner with freon once every 2 years. This procedure requires specialized equipment and the experience of masters of a suitable profile.    

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Stock footage

Follow the rules of operation of the split system and it will serve you for many years, delighting you with coolness on hot hot days, and warming you in the cold season. Good luck