How do I clean the air conditioner? How to clean the radiator of the air conditioner: tips, photos

Any electronic devices need maintenance and repair. For air conditioning systems, this consists in the timely cleaning, disinfection and refueling of the system with refrigerant. The article will help you understand how to clean the air conditioner, and talk about the basic principles of proper maintenance of climate technology.

What is the purpose of servicing household split-systems?

During operation, appliances, which include fans, pass a certain amount of internal air through themselves. It can contain various impurities that are unsafe for your health. In those concentrations in which there are in the air, they are harmless, but the accumulation of them in one place can be dangerous.

The air conditioner in its design has filters and heat exchangers, which create resistance to flow. They are blocked by dust, dirt, allergens and microorganisms. Most of the harmful components settle on the filters and can be carried throughout the room.

Allergens, house dust particles, microbes and viruses are deposited on them depending on the number and type of filter elements. It is not necessary to call specialists in all cases, as there is a lot of information in different sources about how to clean the air conditioner yourself.

The consequences of untimely servicing

As already mentioned, when using the air conditioner for its intended purpose, it accumulates solid particles contained in the air, microorganisms and allergens. This leads to improper operation of the device, as well as the well-being of people in the room may worsen.

Untimely maintenance is fraught with respiratory infections and colds, the appearance of an unpleasant odor, which is difficult to get rid of, breakdowns and outages of system components. Deteriorated operation of the device, its performance decreases, it ceases to perform the functions assigned to it. All this can lead to a complete shutdown of the system. The repair of the air conditioner after the failure due to improper and untimely maintenance is much more expensive than the cost of cleaning.

The best time for service

Pollution is best avoided, and if this happens, you need to think about how to clean the air conditioner. The need for maintenance is determined by the following phenomena:

• The system can not support the user-defined air temperature (sometimes this may result in improper power selection or an unexpectedly high outdoor temperature);
• Air flow even at maximum fan speed is significantly less than usual;
• Unpleasant odor;
• Reducing the amount of condensate flowing from the drain hose;
• Extraneous sounds during system operation;
• Freezing of the heat exchanger;
• Water flow from the indoor unit.

When any of the above signs appear, you should think about how to clean the air conditioner. Even if the device does not cause any problems, there is scheduled maintenance, which helps to prevent deterioration of parameters.

Order of service works

There are clearly defined by the equipment manufacturers the rules for the performance of work and recommended maintenance schedules. They can be specified in the operating instructions or on the manufacturer's website. These documents will help you understand how to clean the air conditioner at home.

The service of devices that are used for commercial purposes, as well as industrial and semi-industrial systems, is better provided to specialists.

Procedure for servicing the household split-system:

• The device must be de-energized. If the power does not come through the plug, but directly from the electrical panel, then it is necessary to switch off the protective circuit-breaker.
• Open the cover on the front panel - this can be done with the help of special projections on both sides of the case.
• It is necessary to get the mesh and all additional filters, if any.
• Carefully remove the horizontal blinds from the attachment points.
• The next step is to disassemble the case. To do this, unscrew the screws located in the bottom of the case under the protective caps and near the display, then remove the front cover.
• Clean and install all components in place.

Filter cleaning and replacement

If you ask a simple user of the split system how to clean the filter in the air conditioner, in most cases you will hear the answer: "Pull and rinse". This is partly true. If the dirt is strong, first of all you need to dry the filter with a dry brush from the adhered dirt, then rinse thoroughly in warm soapy water or using a detergent. After complete drying, it is treated with a disinfectant solution.

Some types of filters need to be changed to new ones. It can be additional cleaning elements with a deodorizing and anti-allergenic effect. They are not adapted to maintenance, and you should not think about how to clean the air conditioner yourself. The device must be provided with such filters in advance.

How to clean the radiator of the air conditioner and the fan

The next important element is the heat exchanger. When it becomes clogged, the power of the system falls and the efficiency of its operation decreases. After removing the filter and the front of the housing, you can start cleaning the radiator. To do this, use detergents and brushes. The steam generator will also be superfluous. The control unit must be closed with a film.

On the surface of the heat exchanger, a degreasing solution is sprayed, which does not react with copper and aluminum. After 15-20 minutes, the heat exchanger must be rinsed with clean water and brushed. Repeat the procedure several times. The steam generator greatly simplifies the cleaning work.

Let's clarify the issues related to how to clean the drainage of the air conditioner. First of all, it is necessary to rinse the tray to collect condensate. If necessary, the drainage pipe is cleaned both from the street side and inside. The radial fan is cleaned in the same way as the heat exchanger - with a brush, a cleaning liquid and a steam generator.

Assembling the system

When all the surfaces are cleaned and dried, it is necessary to assemble the split system. This is done in the following order:

• The drainage tray returns under the radiator to the stops - make sure that there is no gap between the heat exchanger and the tray;
• The front cover is put in place, the fixing screws are screwed;
• Neatly inserted into the apertures of the air flow direction blind - it is necessary to check that they have risen in the desired position;
• Power is supplied, the system switches to cooling mode, and the heat exchanger is treated with antibacterial solution;
• A filter is installed in place, and the lid is closed.

We hope that these simple tips on how to clean the air conditioner at home will help you do everything right. It is important to comply with technology and safety measures.

External Block Service

Those users who think about how to clean the home air conditioner, believe that this only needs an indoor unit. This is not the case - the outdoor unit heat exchanger is clogged. To clean it, you must provide access to the device, turn off the power and disassemble.

The heat exchanger is cleaned with a dry brush of street dust, poplar fluff, pollen and debris. Then rinse it with water and detergent solution. It is necessary to make sure that water does not get into the compartment with electrical communications. The washed and dried block is collected, and its operation is checked. For these operations, we strongly recommend that you invite specialists.

Refueling Refrigerant

In some cases, it may be necessary to add the missing Freon to the system. This may indicate a weak cooling capacity even after cleaning. In order to accurately determine the need for refueling, you need to check the parameters of the refrigeration circuit with the help of instruments:

• Pressure in the system;
• Temperature of heat exchangers and compressor;
• The absence or presence of compressor oil leaks at service ports.

It is impossible to assess the need for this procedure without special instruments, and it is impossible to make a conclusion about the leakage of Freon by no means. Sometimes a complete replacement of the refrigerant may be required.

How to clean the air conditioner in the car

Specificity of service of the automobile device differs appreciably from household. Due to the special operating conditions of this type of equipment, cleaning is carried out according to a different principle. In the car, the air conditioner is subjected to a high vibration load, which leads to frequent leakage of even properly assembled systems. For their search and elimination use special solutions that are visible under ultraviolet lighting.

For cleaning, you need to perform a number of actions:

• Purchase liquid for cleaning car air conditioners ;
• Start the engine of the car, open all the windows and turn on the air conditioning system at full capacity;
• Spray the liquid into the external air intakes of the climate system, turn it off and wait for a while;
• Switch the system to recirculation and repeat the procedure for internal grills.

Refueling is carried out with the help of a special rubber hose, which must be connected to the port of the refrigerant circuit. Then it is necessary to supply freon of the desired composition from the cylinder. In the absence of skills and components, it is better to do it in a car workshop.

Security measures

All work on the installation and maintenance of split systems must be carried out in strict accordance with the rules and regulations for the handling of electrical appliances. Do not clean the air conditioner if it is connected to the power supply. After maintenance, it is necessary to wait for complete drying of all surfaces and parts, before you plug it into the outlet. Accurate adherence to the recommendations of the manufacturers of equipment and generally accepted safety standards will help you to figure out how to clean the air conditioner with maximum efficiency.