The maintenance and cleaning of air conditioners is the main key to air conditioner maintenance. It helps improve cooling efficiency, shorten cooling time, save energy, and extend the lifespan of the air conditioner. It is an important part of reasonable use of air conditioners and strengthening standardized management. In the past, air conditioner users did not pay enough attention to the maintenance and cleaning of air conditioners. Now, this area of work should be strengthened to promote the development of the air conditioning industry.
★ Pre-startup Maintenance
Typically, home air conditioners are turned off in September after use and restarted between May and June the following year, remaining unused for more than half a year. Therefore, before starting the air conditioner, a comprehensive "diagnosis" must be conducted to check if there are any "problems" with the air conditioning equipment. Based on the inspection results, under the guidance of professional technicians, proper maintenance and cleaning work should be done. This maintenance and cleaning should be thorough, including the outdoor unit, indoor unit, shell, body, and filter net. Then, start a trial run and observe the cooling speed and effect. (Find: Beijing Air Conditioner Relocation Company)
★ Maintenance During Operation
After turning on the air conditioner, the number of maintenance sessions during operation depends on environmental conditions, climate conditions, operating hours, surrounding dust, air cleanliness, and room cleanliness. If the environment is poor, the weather is hot, the air conditioner is old, and it has been running for a long time, the number of maintenance sessions during operation will increase. Typically, maintenance is performed once every one and a half months. If the environment is good, the air conditioner is new, there is less dust in the air, and the air conditioner is used reasonably with electric fans alternately, the maintenance cycle can be appropriately extended. The air conditioner may only need to be maintained 1-2 times from startup to shutdown. Maintenance should be meticulous and leave no blind spots, conforming to standards, improving cooling speed and effect, achieving energy savings, freshness, and comfort.
★ Post-Shutdown Maintenance
As the weather warms up, the air conditioner is turned on; as it cools down, the air conditioner is turned off, which is a regular annual pattern. Before shutting down the air conditioner, a comprehensive and detailed inspection of the outdoor and indoor units should be conducted. Maintenance, care, and cleaning should be done step by step without missing any links, especially the easy-to-overlook ones, which should be strictly checked. After completing these steps, cover the air conditioner with a protective cover to prevent dust contamination, water dripping, and water ingress, keeping it clean and ready for use next year. This ensures cleanliness, energy savings, and extends the lifespan of the air conditioning equipment. For high-quality split units and cabinet models of well-known brands, they should be specially protected to fully realize their energy-saving effects.
★ Cleaning Methods
Air conditioner cleaning should include three parts: first, the exterior and exposed parts of the air conditioner body that are prone to contamination; second, the cleaning of the filter, which is the core and most important part; third, the condenser and evaporator sections, which are less common and combined with repairs, equivalent to a small system cleaning, considered a larger "surgery." This often occurs in old air conditioners or "special price" and "low-quality" models, many of which have little value for cleaning and repair, so they will not be elaborated upon here.
Regarding the cleaning of the air conditioner body and corresponding components, it is simple. Just add a little soap powder and dishwashing detergent to clean water, or use a dedicated air conditioner cleaning solution, which can clean a large part of the air conditioner according to the cleaning operation requirements. As for the key part of home air conditioner cleaning, it is the cleaning of the filter. First, open the indoor unit cover of the air conditioner, remove the filter, brush it with a clean filter brush to remove most of the dirt attached to the filter, then soak it in a solution containing a special air conditioner cleaning solution or homemade cleaning solution or a mixture of dishwashing detergent and soap powder. Soak for 10-20 minutes, depending on how dirty the filter is. After soaking, gently brush the filter with a bottle brush, making each filter hole clear and transparent without dirt blockage. Then dry it with a special cloth, check that it is intact, reinstall the filter into the unit, and check if the operation is normal. If it is normal, the cleaning work can be signed off as completed. Home air conditioner cleaning is beneficial for improving cooling efficiency, enhancing cooling effect, extending the life of home air conditioner equipment, improving energy-saving effects, and benefiting user health. The results are healthier and more ideal than "healthy air conditioners."
★ How Many Times Should an Air Conditioner Be Cleaned in a Year?
Years of practice in the air conditioning industry have proven that air conditioners should be cleaned 2-3 times a year for optimal performance. Usually, the air conditioner is cleaned once before startup, once during the middle of operation, and once after shutdown, which is relatively reasonable. Sometimes, after the air conditioner is shut down, after undergoing a major cleanup involving maintenance, care, and cleaning, the air conditioner is covered with a protective cover, remaining relatively clean until the next year's startup. In this case, the pre-startup cleaning can be skipped, resulting in cleaning twice a year, which works very well, saving labor and costs, reducing operational costs, and not affecting the cooling effect.
★ How to Clean an Air Conditioner
Cleaning an air conditioner mainly involves regularly cleaning the panel and dust filter. To achieve the best cleaning effect, the repair personnel from Gome Electrical Appliances have provided some suggestions:
1. First, remove the dust filter according to the manual. When disassembling, be careful not to touch the metal parts of the indoor unit to avoid scratching it.
2. After removing the air dust filter, gently tap it or use an electric vacuum cleaner to remove dust. If the dust filter accumulates too much dust, it can be washed with water or cleaned with a soft brush dipped in neutral detergent. However, the water temperature should not exceed 50°C, and laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, gasoline, or banana water should not be used to avoid deforming the dust filter.
Additionally, sponges should not be used for cleaning, as they may damage the surface of the dust filter.
3. After rinsing with clean water, dry it with a soft cloth or let it dry in a cool place. Do not expose it to direct sunlight or dry it near fireplaces or other open flames to avoid deforming the dust filter.
4. When cleaning the panel, use a soft cloth dipped in warm water or neutral cleaner to gently wipe it, then dry it with a dry soft cloth.