Winter is a time to have your heaters burning to combat the cold weather, so you can be forgiven for forgetting all about your air conditioning unit. However, even if you might not require the fresh, cool air of an air conditioning system during the bitter winter months, there are still many things you can do to make sure your unit remains in top condition and is ready to go when required.
Air conditioning systems that have benefited from regular care and maintenance are going to perform a lot better than a neglected unit. This includes being able to work at a more energy-efficient rate to cut down on your energy consumption and to prolong its durability and lifetime so that you can enjoy your air conditioning unit for many years to come.
Turn it on every now and then
Although your home or office is unlikely to get warm enough to require it, you still need to switch your air conditioning on every now and then for a number of important reasons.
Firstly, your air conditioning unit contains a coolant inside it that runs throughout the system. Turning your unit on every week or two just for a brief period of 10 minutes is enough to ensure the coolant and oils distribute throughout the unit keeping the internals of the pipework and moving parts good order. This is vitally important as it can help to prevent leaks and system faults.
Secondly, flushing your unit out with air regularly also helps to remove bacteria and mould that can gradually build up in disused systems. If this bacteria and mould is allowed to build up over winter, it can be detrimental to the hygiene of your unit when it comes to using it again, consequently causing bad odours and smells.
Cleaning up the filters
The winter months are the perfect time to perform vital air con maintenance as your unit will rarely be in use. The filters in your system are especially important to keep clean as they can control the level of airflow into your unit. Reusable filters should be cleaned over winter so they are ready for spring and summer, whilst disposable filters should be replaced with new ones to prevent any damage or reduction in energy-efficiency.
Coil and coil fin maintenance
Even with well-maintained filters, it is impossible to keep your coils clean from dirt. Poorly maintained coils can significantly hinder airflow into your unit, so it is highly important to keep them cleaned. It is recommended to check up on your coils once a year and give them a good clean, so just before or during the winter period is a great time to do this.
Fins that have been bent out of shape due to regular usage can also restrict airflow, so ensuring they are in the correct shape can also be part of your air con servicing schedule during winter.