Summer is still here, but fall is just around the corner, with colder temperatures. Once the thermostat starts to dip, you won’t need your air conditioner anymore. But shutting down your AC for the winter isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It takes a little more prep work to ensure your outdoor AC unit is properly cleaned and ready for a cold winter.
Since we offer HVAC cleaning services, we know how essential proper AC maintenance is. So, the first thing you’ll want to do when you turn your AC off for the winter is to get your AC unit cleaned. What does that entail? Here’s our quick three-step guide for cleaning residential outdoor units.
- Get the hose: Make sure your unit is turned off from your breaker. Then you’ll need your garden hose to remove dirt, bird poop, bugs, dust, and cobwebs from your AC unit. If branches or other debris cover the unit, make sure to remove those. We recommend doing this step on a sunny day to allow the unit to completely dry. If you’re worried about getting water into the unit with a hose, use a cloth and a mixture of warm soap and water to wipe it down.
- Get the vacuum: After completely drying the unit, use a vacuum to remove any left-behind dust in the condenser fans with a brush attachment.
- Get a coil cleaner: The last step is to spray the unit with an AC coil cleaner to remove any remaining dirt. Follow the cleaning instructions and then rinse it off.
Once you follow this three-step cleaning process, your AC unit is cleaned and ready to be winterized. But what does that mean? It’s pretty simple. We recommend making sure there is a covering over the AC unit, like a roof or awning, to prevent snow from completely burying the unit during the winter months. Some people like to purchase vinyl covers, but experts recommend against them as they can trap moisture in the unit and lead to mold or mildew growth.
The next thing you can do to protect your AC unit in the winter is to ensure that any exterior pipes are adequately insulated. You can use common foam pipe covers to insulate the pipes from freezing during the winter months. Once you’ve done these steps, your AC unit is ready for winter.
Prepping your AC unit for the winter is a great way to keep it in good working order. But if you fail to follow this process, you risk spreading all the accumulated dirt, debris, mold, and mildew throughout your home when you turn it back on. Luckily, we can help if that’s happened to you. Our HVAC cleaning team can clean your air ducts and remove all the dirt and debris that’s spread throughout your HVAC system in your home or business. Give us a call to schedule your next HVAC cleaning today! (801) 994-6924
