Get More Mileage Out of Your Air-conditioner

Get more mileage out of your air-conditioner

If treated well, your air-conditioner will stay with you for a long time. Follow our 7-point guide to extend the life of your unit.

The secret to an efficient air-conditioning unit is to give it proper care. Maintaining and servicing it regularly prevents breakdowns and ensures it works at its best, which in turn helps you to save on your electricity bills.

1 Keep it clean

Air-conditioning coils assist the refrigerant to absorb heat and cool the room. These coils too need cleaning because they tend to become covered with dust particles. This reduces their ability to absorb heat and makes the air-conditioning unit work harder to maintain the room’s temperature.

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Ensure coils are cleaned regularly, but this job must be done by a professional. Coils are sharp and can cause injury if one is untrained. Furthermore, attempting to clean the condenser coils yourself could void the warranty, damage components or cause the refrigerant gas to leak into the atmosphere

Clogged vents trap the air in the ducts and strain the air-conditioner as it struggles to push the air out through blocked vents.

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Hire a professional to routinely clean the vents.

Dirty air ducts can reduce air flow and make it harder for cold air to pass through. Leaky ducts also strain air-conditioners by causing air to escape. Furthermore, leaks in the hose may cause the unit to break down.

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Regularly clean airducts at least once ayear to reduce the amount of dust. In the case of leaks, insulate and seal ducts to prevent the air from escaping. Also check for hose leaks annually.

Air filters stop dirt and dust particles from entering a room. If the air filter is dirty, it will excessively strain the air-conditioner and also impact the air quality in the room. Cleaning the air-conditioner gets it to work at its best. Alternatively, filters can also be changed frequently to improve the unit’s overall efficiency.

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Users themselves can easily clean air filters regularly. But before doing so, read the manual about how to access and clean them. More importantly, ensure that the air-conditioner is switched off at the main. Then after removing the filters, take them outside to shake off excess dirt and dust. Use a small soft brush or a vacuum cleaner’s soft brush head to clean them further.

2 Ensure air circulation

To efficiently pump cold air in, an air-conditioner needs proper airflow. So it is necessary to ensure that the air is flowing smoothly. Blocking the airflow strains the unit, making it work harder.

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Clear obstructions including debris, furniture and curtains from the air vents.

3 Service is key

Ensure that the air-conditioner is regularly maintained to extend its lifespan. Sometimes small problems in air-conditioners can become major faults quickly if they are not prevented early. Regular tune-ups ensure peak performance and can prevent problems from happening.

You can book your Aircon Servicing appointment with Gain City, click the link to find out more: https://www.gaincity.com/airconservice

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Schedule an annual check-up for the system. Having preventive maintenance services yearly keeps you proactively ahead of potential large problems.

4 Let it rest

Like humans, air-conditioners perform better if they can get occasional breaks. Leaving the unit running constantly wears it out quicker.

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Work out the most feasible time to give your air-conditioner some rest. If you leave home for a length of time, say during the work day, switch off the air-conditioner while you are away.

5 Be smart

Smart thermostats let you pre-programme your air-conditioning system. This way the air-conditioner automatically turns off when you do not need it, so it can rest. And when you are on the way back from work, the air-conditioner automatically starts, so you’ll come home to a cool house.

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This reduces the amount of time the unit operates, thus increasing its life expectancy.

6 Get repairs done by professionals

An air-conditioning unit that operates with a malfunction for a long time would potentially experience additional strain. This in turn decreases its overall health and performance. Air-conditioners have complicated parts, and some repairs require dismantling and disassembling of the indoor fan coil parts, which only trained and competent technicians can do. Special air-conditioning tools are also required for such works.

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Trained technicians can also recommend preventive repair works and rectify potential issues before the air-conditioner breaks down.

7 Chemical wash

The entire air-conditioner is washed with special chemicals to remove accumulated dirt or impurities in the unit. All parts are also rinsed with chemical solvents. Chemical washing improves the air as well as the system’s operation and cooling efficiency, reduces the probability of system damage, solves leakages, and gets rid of dirt, fungus and bacteria.

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Use qualified air-conditioner chemical cleaning contractors as they have extensive experience, and the latest chemicals and tools to do the job. Using the correct chemicals is very important as these chemicals are able to thoroughly wash all dirt and bacteria without affecting the unit’s components.

TEXT Sol E Solomon

If you need advise on Aircon Servicing, call us at +65 6222 1212 or email us at [email protected]

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