HVAC Repair Pointers: Cleaning Your Exterior Condenser

Your HVAC Unit

HVAC stands for Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning.  This is the first in a series of HVAC repair pointers that can save you money! 

Your HVAC system can operate more efficiently if you keep the outdoor condenser clean.  It can become covered with dirt and debris, which can restrict the unit’s ability to cool your home by blocking air flow thereby reducing its efficiency.  The main thing you need to do is clean the fins, which look like a car radiator and generally wrap all around the condensing unit.  To clean your condenser, follow these steps:

1. IMPORTANT! Make sure you turn off the power to the HVAC system at the outside shutoff, also called a “disconnect”.  It’s usually mounted on your exterior wall close by the HVAC unit.  Also, be sure to shut off power to the HVAC system in your homes electrical fuse panel.
2. Remove all brush, vegetation, and debris from around the condenser.  All vegetation should be at least 5 feet away from the unit.
3. If any of the fins are bent, you can carefully straiten them out, but be careful not to use anything sharp that can puncture the tube in the middle of the radiator, creating a leak of your freon.
4. Remove the top grille, carefully lifting out the fan that is attached. Push it to the side as best you can, but make sure it doesn’t fall to the ground and that you don’t pull any of the wires off it.
5. Remove any dirt and leaves from inside the HVAC system and wipe the interior clean.
6. From inside the HVAC unit using your garden hose, gently spray the fins. Be careful to only use moderate water pressure.
7. Reinstall the grille with the fan attached.
8. Use your hose and spray all dirt and debris away from your HVAC condensing unit.
9. Turn the electricity to the HVAC unit back on at the outdoor switch and the electrical panel.
10. Make sure your thermostat is set to ‘cool’ and lower the temperature setting below the current temperature to trigger the HVAC system  to turn on.
11. After about 10 minutes, feel the tubing that runs from the condenser into the house. The insulated (smaller) tube should be cool to the touch and the uninsulated (larger) tube will be warmer.  While that doesn’t insure your HVAC system is working properly, it does mean that it is working.

Here at Bayside Heating and Cooling Inc, every maintenance visit we do includes the process described above, along with many other important procedures.   Check out our maintenance specials.  The maintenance visits are inexpensive and will help you save money and reduce HVAC repairs, while extending the life of your HVAC system.  You can save even more money by taking advantage of our Bayside Comfort Care Preventative Maintenance Agreement.