How to clean your home air conditioner yourself?

Knowing how to clean the air conditioner yourself, you can significantly save on the maintenance of HVAC equipment. Can all elements - the evaporator, radiator and fan - be washed at home? The answer to this question depends on the design of the split system and the degree of contamination. In order to prevent a large accumulation of dirt and the formation of a greasy film, you need to clean the equipment at home as often as indicated in the instructions, then you do not have to remove the air conditioner and perform deep cleaning in the service center.

How often do I need to clean the air conditioner?

Climate equipment manufacturers indicate in the technical documentation how often they need to be cleaned. It should be noted that different elements are serviced at different intervals. Most often it is necessary to clean the air (dust) nets, since dust accumulates on them, animal hair - any mechanical particles present in the air of the apartment. The frequency of cleaning here depends on the general pollution in the room, but it should be done at least once a month.

Other components of the split system also need regular maintenance. It is recommended to perform it approximately every 6-12 months, depending on the intensity of the system. At home (not in industrial conditions) it is enough to carry out cleaning procedures once a year.

There are symptoms suggesting air conditioning is contaminated:

• crackling or louder operation of the split system;
• gurgling or squelching sounds;
• unpleasant odor that appears after turning on the air conditioner;
• water is dripping from the indoor unit.

Their appearance indicates that the cleaning is not performed or is not performed in full. With such manifestations, it is necessary to perform complex processing. It can be carried out at home, on your own or with the help of specialists.

What needs to be cleaned in the indoor and outdoor units?

The air conditioner (split system) consists of two units - the internal one, located in the room, and the external one - located on the external wall of the house.

In the indoor unit are located:

• Filters
• fan;
• radiator and heat exchanger (evaporator);
• drainage system (bath and channel).

A condenser and compressor are placed in the external unit, but there is a heat exchanger and a fan, which also need regular maintenance, since fluff, leaves, wool and dust get there.

Air filters

Filters (dust screens) must be cleaned frequently, as this prevents contaminants from entering other elements of the system. This is easy to do, and once you figure it out, any user at home can handle it. Filters are located directly under the top cover and visually look like a fine mesh with plastic partitions. They can be from one to three in one block.

The procedure consists of several actions:

1. turn off the power;
2. raise the cover and lock it in the upper position;
3. remove the filters;
4. clean the filter with a vacuum cleaner or a brush and rinse under cold water;
5. dry and reinstall.

Filters can be either flat or curved (drum type). This does not affect the cleaning method.

Drainage system

The drainage system consists of two elements - a bath (pan), where liquid is collected from the heat exchanger, and a drainage tube - a channel through which liquid is removed from the house.In order to remove the pallet, you must first remove the plastic case of the indoor unit. It is attached using several screws (mainly 3-4). Next, you need to remove the connector connecting the bath to the board, and disconnect it from the drainage tube.

After that, the bath and channel are cleaned. The bath is thoroughly washed under running water. The drainage channel is blown by a stream of air under pressure - a compressor or a vacuum cleaner working on blowing is connected to the drainage pipe. Then, chlorhexidine (400 ml) must be pumped into the channel and wait 10-15 minutes. After that, the channel is purged again.

Tip

To check if you managed to completely clean the drainage system at home, pour 1.5 l of water to check. If there are no leaks, cleaning is done well.

Fan

The fan can be cleaned in two ways. The first is less effective, but suitable for those whose model and mounting of the air conditioner do not allow to remove the impeller (fan drum) and perform a full cleaning.

1. After removing the filter, dry dust must be blown out with a vacuum cleaner included in the blow-out or with compressed air from the can.
2. Apply a soapy solution to the drum blades with a long-haired brush. To process all surfaces, the drum must be turned by hand. As a washing solution, you can use any dishwashing detergent or laundry soap.
3. 5 minutes after applying the composition, you need to turn on the air conditioner, having previously laid the film under the diffuser grill. In this case, all the dirt will blow out.

You can additionally treat the blades with an antibacterial agent. Now there are enough cleaning products on sale that are designed specifically for climate control systems.

Most air conditioners have the option of removing the impeller. In this case, it can be immersed completely in a soapy solution, and then washed with a strong stream of water and thoroughly treated with a disinfectant.

The removal sequence is as follows.

1. Unscrew the front panel.
2. Carefully remove the drainage bath so as not to spill any liquid in it. At the same time, it must be disconnected from the board (remove the connector) and from the drainage hose.
3. Turn the drum until the locking screw is visible. It is located at the junction of the drum with the motor (there is one blade missing).
4. Remove the screw by carefully bending the evaporator.
5. After cleaning the drum, the assembly is performed in the reverse order.

Tip

Failure to remove the impeller can damage the air conditioner. This procedure is recommended only for people familiar with the technique.

Radiator and heat exchanger

At home, the radiator and evaporator can only be cleaned superficially, without removing them. Deep cleaning is carried out in service centers with the removal of the indoor unit, and then re-installation. The cost of such a procedure is considerable, therefore it is better to regularly carry out maintenance on your own in order to prevent a strong accumulation of dirt on the elements of the air conditioner.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Remove the top cover, air filters and unscrew the front panel.
2. Brush with a long pile to clean a radiator and the evaporator. In this case, movements should only be in the direction from top to bottom, otherwise thin plates of the heat exchanger may be damaged.
3. Pour 0.5 liter of antiseptic into the nebulizer, and transfer the air conditioner to recirculation mode at the lowest possible temperature.
4. Spray the antiseptic in the air intake zone (not on the radiator itself, but near it).

If a dirt film has formed on the heat exchanger, it can be removed using a steam cleaner. Dry dust must first be removed with a brush, and after cleaning with steam, perform an antiseptic treatment.

External unit

The external unit is also prone to contamination, but there is virtually no fat deposits. This simplifies the cleaning process.

1. Turn off the power.
2. Remove the protective cover.
3. Remove large debris with a brush or vacuum cleaner.
4. Rinse fan blades.
5. Wash the radiator of the outdoor unit from the hose or using a steam generator. In this case, you must ensure that water does not get into the electrical part of the unit.

Why contact a service center?

Despite the fact that the radiator and fan of the indoor and outdoor units can be cleaned independently, this does not cancel the service. When operating the air conditioner, even in the most ideal conditions, loss of refrigerant occurs (refrigerant or freon). Normally, its amount is reduced by 5-7% per year. If there is a depressurization of the circuit, then Freon can leak much more.