Knowing how to clean an air conditioner yourself, you can significantly save on air conditioning equipment maintenance. Is it possible to wash all the elements - evaporator, radiator and fan - at home? The answer to this question depends on the design of the split system and the degree of contamination. To prevent a large accumulation of dirt and the formation of a grease film, you need to clean the equipment at home as often as indicated in the instructions, then you will not have to remove the air conditioner and perform deep cleaning at a service center.

How often should you clean your air conditioner?

Manufacturers climate control equipment indicate in the technical documentation how often it needs to be cleaned. It should be noted that different elements are serviced at different intervals. Most often it is necessary to clean air (dust) nets, since dust, animal hair, and any mechanical particles present in the air of the apartment accumulate on them. 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 once every 6-12 months, depending on the intensity of the system. At home (not in an industrial environment), it is quite enough to perform cleaning procedures once a year.

There are symptoms indicating that the air conditioner is dirty:

• crackling or more loud work split systems;
• 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 cleaning is not being carried out or is not being carried out in full. In case of such manifestations, complex treatment must be performed. It can be done 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 - an internal one, located in the room, and an external one, located on the external wall of the house.

The indoor block contains:

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

The condenser and compressor are located in the external unit, but there is also a heat exchanger and a fan, which also require regular maintenance, as fluff, leaves, wool and dust get there.

Air filters

Filters (dust meshes) must be cleaned frequently, as this prevents contaminants from entering other elements of the system. It's easy to do, and once figured out, anyone can do it in their own home. The filters are located immediately under the top cover and visually look like a fine mesh with plastic partitions. There can be from one to three in one block.

The procedure consists of several steps:

1. turn off the power supply;
2. lift the lid and lock it in the upper position;
3. remove filters;
4. Clean the filter with a vacuum cleaner or 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 (tray) where liquid from the heat exchanger is collected, and a drainage tube - a channel through which the liquid is removed from the house. In order to remove the tray, you must first remove the plastic housing of the indoor unit. It is attached using several screws (mostly 3-4). Next, you need to remove the connector connecting the bath to the board and disconnect it from the drain tube.

After this, the bath and channel are cleaned. The bath is thoroughly washed under running water. The drainage channel is purged with a stream of air under pressure - a compressor or vacuum cleaner operating for blowing is connected to the drainage pipe. Next, you need to pump chlorhexidine (400 ml) into the canal and wait 10-15 minutes. After this, the channel is purged again.

To check whether the drainage system at home has been completely cleaned, fill in 1.5 liters of water to check. If there are no leaks, the cleaning was done well.

Fan

The fan can be cleaned in two ways. The first is less effective, but is suitable for those whose model and air conditioner mount do not allow removing the impeller (fan drum) and performing a thorough cleaning.

1. After removing the filter, you need to blow out the dry dust with a vacuum cleaner turned on for blowing, or compressed air from a can.
2. Apply soap solution to the drum blades with a long-haired brush. To treat all surfaces, the drum must be turned by hand. You can use any dish soap or laundry soap as a cleaning solution.
3. 5 minutes after applying the composition, you need to turn on the air conditioner, first laying a film under the diffuser grille. At the same time, all the dirt will be blown out.

You can additionally treat the blades with an antibacterial agent. There are now plenty of cleaning products on the market that are designed specifically for climate control systems.

Most air conditioner models provide the ability to remove the impeller. In this case, it can be completely immersed in a soap solution, and then rinsed 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 the liquid there. In this case, it must be disconnected from the board (remove the connector) and from the drain hose.
3. Rotate the drum until the locking screw is visible. It is located at the junction of the drum with the motor (one blade is missing there).
4. Remove the screw by carefully bending the evaporator.
5. After cleaning the drum, assembly is performed in reverse order.

If you remove the impeller improperly, the air conditioner can be damaged. This procedure is recommended only for people familiar with the technique.

If you have an air conditioner at home, maintenance is a little easier than an air conditioner: you just need to clean the water tank once a month. To do this, remove the drain cap located inside the tank. The water will come out to the bottom of the product where the rollers are. Do this in a service area or near a drain to drain the water. The tank can be cleaned using water and mild soap.

Specialized air conditioner cleaning

The hives can be cleaned with running water every three months, which can be replaced with new ones after an average of four years of use. As you learned above, to keep this simple, it is imperative that the appliance be professionally cleaned at least once a year. In addition, specialized products and equipment are used, and a bactericide is applied at the end.

Radiator and heat exchanger

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

Step-by-step instruction

1. Take off top cover, air filters and unscrew the front panel.
2. Clean the radiator and evaporator with a long-hair brush. In this case, movements should only be in the direction from top to bottom, otherwise the thin plates of the heat exchanger may be damaged.
3. Pour 0.5 liters of antiseptic into a spray bottle, and switch the air conditioner to recirculation mode at the lowest possible temperature.
4. Spray the antiseptic in the air suction area (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, treat with an antiseptic.

External unit

The external unit is also susceptible to contamination, but there are practically no fatty deposits. This simplifies the cleaning procedure.

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

Why contact the service center?

Despite the fact that the radiator and fan of the indoor and outdoor units can be cleaned yourself, this does not negate service. When operating an air conditioner, even under the most ideal conditions, loss of refrigerant (freon or freon) occurs. Normally, its amount decreases by 5-7% per year. If the circuit is depressurized, much more freon can leak out.

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Burn fat specifically in problem areas

Recently, air conditioners have become as common a household appliance as, say, a TV or refrigerator. Many people simply cannot imagine their life without these devices. Air conditioners are becoming a real salvation from the sweltering summer heat; they will help maintain comfortable temperature in the room during the cool season, when the heating season has not yet begun, with their help you can dry the overly humid air in the apartment and even clean it. However, in order this technique coped with all tasks flawlessly, you need to run after her. The main care of the air conditioner is timely cleaning.

Dust and small particles of dirt that accumulate inside devices are one of the most common reasons failures in their work and even serious damage. Air conditioning is no exception. However, reduced performance and breakdowns are not all the problems that such a device can cause if it gets dirty. The fact is that air conditioners are designed in such a way that during operation they have to pass through large volumes of air, which, in addition to dust, may contain other unsafe particles. All this lingers on the filters, heat exchanger, fan, and gradually accumulates, sometimes forming a real “mud coat.”

Such pollution creates a favorable environment for the development of various fungi and harmful bacteria. This leads to the fact that when turned on, the air conditioner becomes a source of very unpleasant odors. However, this is not the main thing, because microorganisms developing on the parts of the device are blown out together with the air and subsequently inhaled by a person; naturally, this does not have a positive effect on health and well-being.

To extend service life, ensure maximum operating efficiency, and most importantly to protect yourself and, of course, your loved ones, it is necessary to carry out regular cleaning air conditioner It is recommended to clean the removable filters, during intensive use of the device, from one to three times a week, depending on the degree of contamination of the room. For example, if the apartment is located on the lower floors near roads, this procedure will have to be completed much more often than if it were located on the upper floors of a multi-story building. The remaining parts of the air conditioner (the entire indoor and outdoor unit) can be cleaned much less frequently, since they become less dirty. Ideally, this should be done twice a year - in the spring, shortly before the start of operation, and in the fall, before the off-season begins. You can clean the air conditioner with the help of specialists or do it yourself. Specially trained people will carry out all the necessary manipulations with the device quickly and efficiently. However, not everyone has the opportunity to invite them over, so next we will look at how to wash the air conditioner yourself.

The closest attention should be paid to cleaning the indoor unit, especially the removable filters located under the front panel of the device. Through them, air enters the device. Filters capture dust and other small particles contained in it, thus protecting both the device itself and the room. If they are not cleaned in a timely manner, this can lead to the following problems:

• Premature contamination of the indoor unit.
• Reduced radiator air flow.
• Poor air cooling.
• Contamination of the drainage system and, as a consequence, leakage of the device.
• Violation proper operation air conditioner
• Makes it difficult to clean filters in the future.

Like cleaning your air conditioner at home

The main cleaning of air conditioners involves washing the filters. This will be easy to do. For this:

Before installing the filter, it is a good idea to vacuum the internal parts of the air conditioner and wipe its walls with a damp cloth.

Cleaning filters - will simple work, but, unfortunately, not only they, but also other parts of the air conditioners become polluted. Washing them is much more difficult, since some types of devices even need to be disassembled to do this, so if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to entrust this to professionals. However, it is also possible to completely clean the air conditioner at home yourself. First, remove, wash and leave the filters to dry. In the meantime, work on other parts of the device.

Radiator cleaning

Heat exchanger radiators are responsible for heating and cooling the air. They consist of the thinnest plates, arranged very tightly. If the gaps between them are clogged with dirt, this will lead to a deterioration in the overall performance of the device. Lightly dirty radiators can be cleaned with a long-bristled brush and a powerful vacuum cleaner. This must be done very carefully so as not to deform the radiator fins.

But dust lingering on the radiator fins can combine with condensation and turn into a dirt film. Such contaminants can sometimes cover up all the gaps. Removing such dirt is very problematic. For this purpose, steam cleaners are usually used. Naturally, such work should be entrusted to specialists.

Cleaning the fan

The next part of the air conditioner that often needs cleaning is the rotary fan. Outwardly, it resembles a roller with many membranes. This part drives the already cooled atmosphere from the air conditioner into the room. It also retains a lot of dust, which subsequently turns into dense mud deposits. Without cleaning, the fan membranes can become so dirty that the device simply cannot perform its functions.

How to clean the air conditioner in this case? It's not that difficult to do this. To begin with, you should cover the wall on which the device is located and the floor underneath it with oilcloth. Next, you need to thoroughly moisten all the partitions of the fan with soapy water and leave it for a while so that the dirt can get wet. After this, you need to turn on the air conditioner at minimum speed in order to drive air through the fan. At the same time, particles of dirt and soap solution will “fly out” of the air conditioner. After a few minutes, turn off the device and finish cleaning the partitions manually using a soap solution and a brush.

Cleaning the drainage system

Accumulations of dust, grease and even mold and fungi can clog the drainage system. As a result, water will flow not outside, but inside the room. The most unpleasant thing is that the mold that has accumulated in the pipes may well spread first to the drainage pan, and then to the radiator and the walls of the air conditioner.

There are several ways to clean a drain. At home, it’s easier to simply rinse it with detergents and water. A dishwashing detergent works well for this. After cleaning the drainage, be sure to also rinse the drainage pan, as it also often becomes dirty.

Cleaning the outdoor unit

Perhaps the external unit is the most difficult to clean, since it is often located in hard-to-reach places. Luckily, you only need to polish it once or twice a year.

For quality cleaning, it’s a good idea to remove the top cover from the outdoor unit. Next, you need to remove large debris from it. Then clean the block using a vacuum cleaner (it must be powerful, only in this case you can remove dirt from the radiator and external filters) and a brush. After this, it is recommended to carefully wipe the fan and internal surfaces block with a damp cloth.

A steam cleaner or compact mini-washers will be much more effective when cleaning the outdoor unit. However, when using them, please note that the assembly and connection of the air conditioner can only be done after all the parts are dry.

• Do not scrub the radiator with a sponge or brush, nor should you try to wipe it dry with a cloth, as you may damage the thin plates.
• Entrust the first cleaning to specialists, while carefully monitoring their work. After this, it will be much easier for you to clean your home air conditioner yourself.