Keeping your air conditioning and heating systems up to date and efficient is an ongoing project. That is, you will probably need to do some sort of basic maintenance, repair, or cleaning at least once a year if you want to ensure that your systems are as efficient as possible. Many people just call in an HVAC professional for regular servicing. However, if you want to save a little bit of money, there are quite a few simple things you can do on your own. One of the best DIY repairs is to clean your AC coils. This article explains how to do this simple job with just a hose and household cleaning liquids.

Turning Off Your Condenser

Actually cleaning your condenser coils is simple, but first you need to properly shut down the unit. Since most condensers do not have a designated power switch directly on the unit, you either need to find the breaker switch on the main panel or hit the switch that is attached to the power box mounted to the wall directly above your unit. To be extra safe, you should also turn your thermostat to the off position. Usually, a little bit of water won't have any effect on your condenser. But, since you will be spraying so much water near the vital electrical components, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Cleaning Your Coils Like a Pro

Now that your power is fully shut off, you can easily spray down your coils with the hose. The aluminum ridges on the coil walls are extremely bendable, so you cannot use a stream that is too powerful. You definitely don't want to use a pressure washer. Having bent coils is definitely worse than just having dirty coils. There is also a good chance that the dirt will not wash out easily. If this is the case with your coils, you can spray on a little bit of all purpose cleaner or degreaser to help break down the dirt before spraying them down again.

To be safe, you should probably let your condenser unit dry for a couple of hours before you turn it back on. This is a very helpful cleaning job and you should consider doing it every year. It is most useful if you do it at the end of winter or spring, before you begin to use your AC on a daily basis. For professional assistance, contact a company like High Tech Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.