Depending on what type
of air conditioning unit you have, part or all of your units may be located
outdoors.
Over time, the outdoor
components can work up a good layer of dirt, dust, and debris.
Similarly, as some of
that debris gets sucked inside along with fresh air, the indoor components of
your air conditioner can be adversely affected as well. Some of this debris
will naturally get stuck inside your indoor air duct system as well as in your
air filter and interior components.
Over time, this can lead
to inferior unit performance, increased energy bills and noticeable health
issues for you and your family.
In
this post, learn about the different components of the average air conditioning
unit, how they can be affected by dirt and debris, and what type of cleaning
and maintenance can help keep efficiency high, costs low, and you and your
family healthy and cool.
Air Filter
Depending on the make
and model of your A/C unit, you may have the kind of air filter that can be
washed and re-used or the kind that needs to be replaced regularly. In either
case, it is generally recommended that you clean or replace your air filter
monthly during the warm season.
When you don’t, you run
the risk of decreased operational efficiency along with increased energy costs.
As well, any dirt or debris that gets caught in your air filter can get pushed
back out into your home, creating contaminated air.
Air Ducts
The air ducts are the
unseen components tasked with transporting temperature-controlled cool air to
every room in your home.
Of course, you will have
air ducts only if you have a ducted air conditioning unit (the
new ductless air conditioners use a zone system instead of ducts to
achieve the same effect).
When your air ducts
begin to accumulate dust and debris, not to mention uninvited guests like
bugs and rodents, their job transporting air begins to get harder. The air
conditioning unit has to push harder to propel the air through the ducts, which
means it draws more energy.
Even worse, a small
portion of the built-up, trapped debris inside the ducts will get pushed out of
the air registers into your home, where you will then breathe it in. Health
symptoms can include itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, congestion,
asthma attacks, and worse.
The Condenser
The condenser is the
largest and most important component in an air conditioner. The condenser is
constantly working to repel incoming heat, create vapour, and then condense
that vapour into liquid. This is a major process to ensure temperature
controlled air output.
When the condenser
housing or exterior coils begin to get dirty, a number of issues may
arise.
- First, the moisture level may
rise, attracting colonies of bacteria and fungi. As these colonies thrive
in high-humidity conditions, they send out spores that enter your indoor
air supply, causing a wide range of respiratory and health issues.
- The condenser itself will also
begin to function less efficiently
- Drawing more energy to do the
same job and hiking up your cooling bills while providing less cool for
the money.
The Evaporator
Your A/C unit has two
sets of coils: the condenser coils and the evaporator coils. Where the
condenser coils are responsible for releasing extra heat back to the outside,
the evaporator coils are responsible for delivering the heat to the condenser
coils.
As such, both sets of
coils are equally at risk of becoming dirty and clogged with dust, debris,
pollen, and other detritus. They are also both at risk of becoming too moist,
and can begin to host colonies of bacteria, fungi, and mould that affect your
family’s health.
But most importantly, every component
in your air conditioner has an impact on all of the other components as well.
For example, a dirty evaporator can impact how well the fan motor and the
compressor can function. When these components overheat or break down, the
opportunity for cleaning and repair has passed and you are now talking about an
expensive replacement.
Sign Up for Regular Air conditioning or Cooling System Maintenance
It can be a real
challenge to remember to clean your HVAC unit regularly. That is why Bright
Cooling & Services Centre has developed a series of Service and Maintenance Plan to help you with
this necessary chore.
When you sign up for one
of these plans, you transfer to us the responsibility of remembering to perform
routine HVAC cleaning and maintenance. You also reap plenty of valuable
savings. We will even call you when it is time for your maintenance checkup!