The air conditioning condenser is the unit on the outside of a home that dissipates the heat collected from the inside of the home. Simple air conditioner condenser maintenance such as shown in this video can keep your air conditioning system working efficiently and at peak performance.
Tools & Materials Needed
- Garden hose.
- Maybe a butter knife or an condenser fin comb.
- Hedge trimmer or clippers if condenser unit has surrounding shrubbery.
Steps To Perform Maintenance on an Air Conditioner Condenser Unit
- Make sure all shrubs are trimmed back at least two feet from the condenser unit. The unit needs a free-flow of air from the fan in order to work properly.
- The electrical disconnect box removes power from the condenser unit. It’s a safety device used by A/C technicians. Lift the lid on the disconnect box and remove the pull switch. Do not touch any of the metal terminals inside the box because they may have 220 volt electricity applied to them. Better yet, shut off the circuit breaker at your home’s electrical panel (the correct breakers should be clearly marked) and remove the pull switch in the disconnect box as an extra precaution. Never do this with children around. They should never be allowed to play with a disconnect box.
- Use a garden hose to clean the fins on the condenser as best you can. Accumulated dirt decreases the efficiency of the condenser. Do not brush the fins. You will likely damage them. Do not spray water on or near the disconnect box.
- Inspect the fins on the condenser. Straighten out any fins that were damaged through contact or hail. If you use as knife as shown in the video, do not use a sharp knife. Use a butter knife. Some hardware stores sell a plastic tool called a fin comb that can be used to straighten bent or damaged fins.
- It’s a good idea to wait for the area to dry before restoring power by replacing the pull switch in the disconnect box and replacing the cover. If you shut off the circuit breakers at the electrical panel, flip those breakers back on.
The efficiency of your air conditioner should now be improved.