In a hot climate, we often need a little helping hand to enjoy a comfortable environment inside our homes and workplaces. Air conditioners are marvelous appliances that make living a heck of a lot easier whilst indoors. We often take these work horses for granted and sometimes they decide to pack up as a result. Repairs to air conditioners can be pretty steep, especially when spare parts and labour stack up. However, there are some do-it-yourself actions that you can engage in that will minimise the chances of the inevitable breakdown. This article offers a few insights on how to keep that dreaded heat at bay without breaking the bank.

Cleaning Time

Turn off the power before performing any routine maintenance on your air conditioner and then follow these steps:

• See if the copper pipe that connects the unit to the house is hot, if so, you need to clean the coils.
• Remove the cover from the unit and look for the coils- they are similar to a car radiator.
• Cover the motor and any electrical items with a strong plastic cover.
• Use a hosepipe to clean the coils and fins nicely.
• Replace the cover and check that everything is in good working order.

Check Functionality

If the air conditioner usually runs in automatic mode, you can sometimes lose other functions and these are only picked up when you change the settings. Follow these steps to undertake a sound functionality check-up:

• Turn on the unit and check that the machine runs smoothly.
• Listen for any weird noises or vibrations, a squealing can indicate a slipping belt issue.
• Check that the temperature display is accurate, and this can be done by using a portable thermometer in each room.
• Look out for any leaks that are apparent, check the floor directly below the unit as well.

If any issues are uncovered when you perform these checks, you should call out the professional to repair your HVAC. These problems can usually be fixed cheaply enough, but if they are left alone, the problem will soon escalate into something expensive.

How To Fix Pooling Water Problems

If you have pooling water issues you can soon be looking at an expensive fix and will need to replace quite a few parts if they are damaged due to the water. Follow this mini guide for some quick fixes:

• Have a look at the pipes that are near the pooling water and see if there are any visible cracks or not. If you locate any damaged pipes/tubes, you need to replace these straight away before the problem escalates.
• Locate the drain where the condensation should be running into. This is usually near the condensation pipe at near the air conditioning central unit.
• Check to see if this drain has a blockage.
• Clear any debris from the drain and see if the water starts to run through or not.
• Pour some water into the condensation drain pan and see if the pump is working or not. If the pump fails to work, you will need to call in a technician.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Try to run these checks on your air conditioner at least once a month, especially if they are used heavily. By following these tips you can expect to pick up any minor issues before any real damage is done.