Summer is a few months away from now, but it is important to make sure that your air conditioner is functioning properly, especially in a hot, humid, and dusty country like India. After spending a lot of money on your brand new AC, it is only logical to maintain it properly so that it doesn’t break down. Regular maintenance of your AC brings a lot of benefits, including increasing its reliability, saving electricity, and improving its durability. Today, we will explain some ways using which you can make your AC last longer.
1. Get Your AC Serviced Regularly, Change The Filters
The most important way to increase your AC’s cooling efficiency and lengthen its life is to keep it clean. After a few months of usage, the AC unit might get dirty and its filters can get clogged due to dust and debris. It is advisable to remove the filter and clean off the dust using warm running water.
Just cleaning the filters is not enough, though. Even the coil needs to be cleaned once every few months but it is not easy to do it yourself as it needs some professional tools. Hence, we recommend using a reliable service provider that has experienced engineers and all the required tools. Not taking care of the coils may lead to corrosion of coils and leakage of refrigerant gas. Small leakages can be repaired but sometimes the coil may need replacement which can cost upwards of ₹5,000.
It is necessary to get your AC serviced at least once every year. Buying a comprehensive annual maintenance contract (AMC) plan for your AC is a sure shot way to manage the need for regular service.
2. Give The AC Some Rest, Use High-Quality Stabilizer
Constantly running the AC reduces its lifespan due to higher wear and tear, and it is important to give it a break, just like any machine. When you are not in the room or when you are going out, make sure that the AC is turned off. Some ACs come with the scheduled on/off feature that you can use to make sure that the AC gets enough rest.
Moreover, in areas with unreliable power supply or power fluctuations, it is advisable to use a voltage stabilizer to keep the AC protected from power surges and low voltages. Otherwise, it could lead to PCB damage, and could cost anywhere between ₹5,000 and ₹10,000.
Also Read: Energy Saving Tips For Your AC
3. Keep The Outdoor Unit Clean
In the case of split air conditioners, the outdoor unit is usually located outside the window or on the terrace. It houses the compressor, the condenser coil, and a fan, and it can get pretty dirty as it is not usually covered. Although it is designed to function in pretty much every kind of weather and conditions, cleaning off the dust and dirt only makes it more efficient. Sometimes construction debris and other kinds of rubble can cover its exhaust, affecting the cooling quality of the AC, so it is important to keep it clear from unnecessary objects.
4. Make Sure AC Is Installed Properly, Fix Leakages
When your AC is getting installed, make sure that everything is installed properly and nothing is out of place. Both outdoor and indoor units of the AC need to be installed the way it is recommended in the company’s manual.
There should be no leakage of refrigerant as that can make the AC less efficient in terms of cooling and power consumption. According to our internal data, more than 50% of AC breakdown cases involve lower gas pressure and the average cost of getting it fixed is around ₹2,500. This shows how important it is to make sure that there are no leakages.
Also Read: Five Reasons Why Your AC Is Not Cooling Properly
5. Cover It If You’re Not Planning To Use It Regularly
In winters, the AC is not used as frequently. So, it might be a good idea to keep the indoor and outdoor units covered so that they don’t get affected by dust and dirt. Similarly, if you are going on a long holiday or not going to be home for longer than a few weeks, cover the outdoor unit of the AC so that when you return, it is clean.
6. Clean The AC Drain
Sometimes the AC’s drain line can get clogged and that can result in standing water and moldy smell. It is advisable to clean the drain line using a thin, stiff brush. Make sure that the drain pipe is clear of any clogs.
Six Tips to Keep Your AC Running Efficiently
By following all these steps, you can make sure that your air conditioner is properly maintained, which in turn makes your AC last longer. This can be easily achieved by enrolling in a comprehensive AMC plan that can take care of both regular maintenance and repairs
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of servicing and maintaining your AC yourself, you can enrol your AC under an AMC plan and keep your AC in control.
Onsitego’s Comprehensive AMC plans come with two preventive maintenance visits, breakdown support, free gas charging when it is required, unlimited repairs, and include cost of spare parts.
