If your business workshop contains a lot of heat-generating machinery and plants, a reliable and efficient air conditioning unit is essential for your comfort and for that of your workforce. Although it may seem like a time-consuming hassle, it’s well-worth taking the time to clean your outdoor air conditioning unit each year, before the summer. This will help the unit’s efficiency, making it more reliable and cheaper to run; it should also last longer too.
You could choose to tackle this job yourself or you may prefer to ask your local air con maintenance technician to do the work for you.
Cleaning your business’ air conditioning unit
First of all, switch off the power to the unit at the appliance shut-off box. This is usually found near to the outdoor unit. If you can’t locate the appliance shut-off box, you can turn off the power at the circuit breaker, which you will find located in the main air conditioning unit control panel.
With the power switched off, remove the protective case from the air conditioning unit. To do this, simply unscrew the fixings and carefully lift the casing off. Be sure to put the screws somewhere safe so that they don’t get lost while you’re working.
Now vacuum the air conditioning unit’s condenser fins, using the soft bristle brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Go carefully, as the fins are fragile and can be easily bent if you’re too heavy-handed. Next you need to clean off any accumulated grime from the fins. To do this, make up a solution of warm water and washing up liquid and place it into a plastic spray bottle. Spray the fins with the solution and then rinse away any dirty water and soap with clean water.
Next, carefully remove any debris, weed or grass growth that may be blocking the coil and disrupting the airflow. You might need to cut back overhanging shrubbery and do a spot of weeding around the unit too. Finally, unscrew the top grille on the unit and prop it open. Vacuum the fan, taking care not to disrupt or stretch the wiring. Replace the grille and the unit’s protective casing.
In summary
These basic cleaning and maintenance tips will help to keep your air conditioning unit working efficiently right through the summer. Although this is a job that you can do yourself, you should also have your air conditioning unit fully serviced annually by an experienced professional.
