Self Help

Keep your cool air flowing during the hot summer months with regular attention to the air filters and condenser coils of your air conditioners. A clogged filter puts extra strain on the mechanism, increases the energy cost, and restricts the machine’s performance. Insufficient cooling can also result from a coating of dust on the condenser or evaporator coils.

The filter is located near the air entry part of the machine. In a window-mounted machine, remove the front grill (on the inside of the house) either by lifting it to clear bottom lugs, or swinging the grill upward on hinges. The filter will be found directly behind the grill panel. Never run the air conditioner without its air filter in place.

In a typical central cooling system, the filter will be found inside the blower unit, which is usually part of the furnace, located inside a special utility closet, or located in an attached garage. Lift off the removable metal panel. The filter may be held flat by a wire spring loop or metal band; lift this out of the way before withdrawing the filter, so that it does not tear.

Use the vacuum cleaner or a soft paintbrush to remove bits of leaves, insects, and cellophane scraps that may have drifted into the plenum space; also wipe dust from the condenser coils with a cloth. Be sure to disconnect the air conditioner electrical circuit whenever you clean the interior.

Typical central units include a plastic tubing, about 1 inch in diameter, which drains condensed moisture from the blower unit to outside of the house. This tubing must be flushed out at least once a year with a chlorine solution to prevent clogging. Unclamp the tubing from the machine, use a funnel to pour the solution of 1 quart of laundry chlorine bleach to 3 quarts of water. Replace the open end of the tube as before, carefully tightening the clamp to prevent a leak. If necessary, use a pail to collect the bleach solution as it drains from the outlet end of the plastic tubing.