Keep Your Central Air Conditioning Working in Top Condition by Easily Cleaning the Condenser Unit

When people think of central air conditioning they think of a nice cool room and the big box with the fan beside the house. Unfortunately, that typically is as far as it goes. Often overlooked is that the outside condenser unit needs a little TLC from time-to-time to work with optimum efficiency. Take the time to maintain your unit and be rewarded with lower electricity bills and no repair bill!

Safety is most important when dealing with your unit. The condenser and fan are powered by 240 volt connections that can be extremely dangerous if left on while servicing your unit. The unit typically has a breaker box located nearby on the outside wall. Open this box and turn it off. Also, turn off the breaker in your main electrical box that supplies power to the unit.

Once the power is off, you will need to remove the protective grill around the unit. This usually attaches by a few screws or nuts. Once removed, gently vacuum the fins using the bristle brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner. Be sure to go over the entire outer surface. The debris stuck between the fins reduces the efficiency of the unit and should be removed as completely as possible.

Next, undo the screws so that the top grill and fan unit can be removed. Be careful not to damage the wires going to the fan. Scoop out any debris at the bottom of the unit and then vacuum the fin surfaces inside the condenser unit. At this point, you may find debris that is stubborn and will not vacuum out.

To address this issue, cover the condenser and electrical connection with plastic and break out your garden hose. Attach a trigger nozzle and spray the fins from the inside of the unit. Start with a diffuse spray and tighten up to a more concentrated spray gradually. It is possible to bend the fins over so use only as much water pressure as needed to dislodge the debris.

The next step is to clean off the fan blade edges. This will help reduce fan noise and improve efficiency.

Next, oil the fan motor as indicated in your owners manual and reassemble the unit.

Finally, cut back any foliage that might be growing onto or near the unit and then turn the power back on. The plant matter is removed to increase air flow to the unit and keep it working at peak efficiency.

Now drink a cold beverage in your cool home. You deserve it!