Is Professional Air Conditioner Cleaning Necessary

So, you love your air conditioning (don’t we all?), but you’re not sure about the idea of paying someone to clean it.

After all, if it appears to be working okay, is a professional clean really going to make any difference? … and, how much of the cleaning can you just do yourself?

Is there any need to clean your air conditioner?

What makes air conditioners ‘dirty’?

It’s commonly known that dust and mould around the home can cause a whole host of health issues. Those with skin conditions, allergies, hay fever or asthma will be particularly aware of this… but we all likely agree that minimising dust and mould is a good idea.

The problem with air conditioners, is that over time they can collect the dust and other contaminants and become a haven for bacteria, mildew and dirt to accumulate. Given much of this is hidden within the unit, it’s easy to overlook this progressive build up, allowing it to be blown throughout your home when your air conditioner is on.

Therefore, an air conditioner that isn’t kept clean, can reduce the quality of the air in your home. Given that air is quite important (aka essential) to us people, enjoying clean air in your home is definitely worthwhile… and a whole lot healthier.

Other reasons to clean your air conditioner

Ok, so clean air is good… but why else would you consider keeping your air conditioner clean and well maintained?

You can save on energy bills

If the coils inside your air conditioner are clean, the unit can more efficiently provide the cooling or heating you’re asking it to do. This reduced workload, equals less energy consumption, which saves you money

Helps your air conditioner last longer

Imagine you never serviced your car, you’d expect to eventually run into issues, wouldn’t you? … and your air conditioner is similar. By keeping your air conditioner well maintained, you’re not placing the extra stress on the compressor and other parts, that happens when dirt accumulates. This helps prevent issues, and in many cases, is also a warranty requirement.

Reduces the risk of foul odours

Any parent who’s had kids at school, has probably experience the smell that school bags tend to accumulate. Between forgetting to empty lunch boxes, and various other things, the school bag can over time, develop its own familiar scent. If any of your air-conditioned rooms are acquiring a ‘familiar’ smell, and there’s no school bags around, perhaps check the air conditioner.

It just works better

Of course, let’s not forget that the whole reason you have air conditioning, is so that you can decide what the climate should be like in your home. If you want to have a full roast dinner in the middle of summer (e.g. Christmas), your air con should make it enjoyable, and not have you feeling like you’re roasting.

If your air conditioning is well maintained, you can keep it running at its best, and help you keep your cool.

Do I need a professional to clean my air conditioner?

As you’ve seen, there’s several reasons to keep your air conditioner clean… but do you really need a professional to do the work?

Well, that depends on which part of the cleaning we’re talking about.

The things you can do to help get the best from your air conditioner include:

• In most split systems, lifting the front cover (after turning off the power) will allow you to remove the front mesh filters. Once removed, they can be cleaned with warm soapy water (just make sure they’re fully dry before putting back into the unit). Ideally, you’d do this every few weeks.
• A general wipe over the unit to remove dust at the same time is also a good idea.
• For the outdoor unit, make sure the area around it is kept clear of dirt and garden debris. Don’t make your outdoor unit choke on dust, and you’ll benefit from cleaner air too.
• Sometimes shrubs and grasses are quite good at invading your air conditioner’s personal space. They’re a bit funny about this, so best to also keep any surrounding foliage kept clear of the condenser unit.

Then there’s the things you want a professional for

On the inside of your air conditioner, there’s usually a filter drum and the coils, where the ‘work’ of cooling/heating and moving the air is done. As this is also where the electrical components are, it’s recommended to get this cleaned professionally.

Even if you’re only using your air conditioner occasionally, it’s best to get this done at least once a year. If unsure about what cleaning frequency is best for your requirements, feel free to give us a call.

Annual servicing of your air conditioning units is also important. This enables all the components to be checked, any leaks to be identified, etc. Being proactive in maintaining your air conditioner, can help you maximise the enjoyment and efficiency of your unit, with less chance of surprises later.

Need assistance with your air conditioners?

For any questions or assistance with maintaining your air conditioners, GCR provides a complete range of air conditioning services.

To get in touch, you can call us on (07) 4194 2753.