Maintaining Equipment
Do it Your Self Tips
Do it Your Self Tips
There is not a whole lot a homeowner can do to maintain their heating and cooling
equipment, but what they can do makes all the difference!
The first and perhaps the most important is changing or cleaning the filter regularly.
For most houses I recommend a minimum of once a season. If you have pets and
children, filters need changed more often.
Use a good filter. 1" Pleated filters are the minimum quality I would use. You can get
an economy 3 pack at Lowe's or Home Depot for about $7-8. If you can see through a
filter, don't buy it.
You can buy better 1" filters but the better they are the more expensive. Filtrete makes
some very good filters but they run about $15-20 apiece and since they are so efficient
they could cause airflow restrictions and they need to be changed more often, making
them even more expensive.
If you going to this expense I would recommend getting a media filter installed. They
are about $300-400 installed and the inserts cost between $25 to 40 to replace. They
are more expensive at first but since they are so thick (4" or more) they don't have to be
changed as often.
Finally the best and most expensive filter you can buy is an electronic air cleaner. They
run about $700 -900 installed. They use electrically charged plates and wires to attract
dust and particles to them. You don't have to change the filter but they do require
periodic cleaning with household cleaners and water. I clean mine in my bathtub in the
winter and in the summer I use my driveway.
If you have central air another item that can save money both long term and short term
is to clean the outdoor condensing unit. These units suck air through the coils to cool
the freon off after it has been compressed. Of course the air is dirty especially in the
spring when the cottonwoods bloom. It may even be dirty because the outdoor unit is
too close to a dryer vent and lint is sucked up into the coils. Lawn mowers throw
clippings into the coils and of course vines and weeds can grow over the coil surface
as well. Don't prop any large object against the unit in the summer so as to block
airflow and if the unit is to be enclosed inside a fence make sure that there is at least
18" clear on all sides and keep that space free and clear.
If your unit becomes dirty take your garden hose and a nozzle and clean the coil surface
in the following manner. (If it makes you nervous spraying water on an electrical device
turn off the unit at the disconnect on the wall next to it or if it doesn't have one turn off the
power at circuit breaker panel. Remember this, rains falls on the unit all the time with
the power on and running and it doesn't hurt anything.) Starting a the top of the coil
squirt down the face of the coil at a steep angle so as not to push the dirt in between
the fins of the coil. You are just trying to push the dirt down the surface to the bottom.
After the surface is clear of visible dirt then you can squirt directly into the coil starting
again from the top to the bottom. If you want you can use some mild household
detergent but be sure to rinse thoroughly. Now what if have a unit where the coil
surface is not visible or hidden behind a sheet metal grille. I am going to leave that one
to you. You might tackle removing the sheet metal panels and then cleaning it but you
might want to call in the professionals at this point.
equipment, but what they can do makes all the difference!
The first and perhaps the most important is changing or cleaning the filter regularly.
For most houses I recommend a minimum of once a season. If you have pets and
children, filters need changed more often.
Use a good filter. 1" Pleated filters are the minimum quality I would use. You can get
an economy 3 pack at Lowe's or Home Depot for about $7-8. If you can see through a
filter, don't buy it.
You can buy better 1" filters but the better they are the more expensive. Filtrete makes
some very good filters but they run about $15-20 apiece and since they are so efficient
they could cause airflow restrictions and they need to be changed more often, making
them even more expensive.
If you going to this expense I would recommend getting a media filter installed. They
are about $300-400 installed and the inserts cost between $25 to 40 to replace. They
are more expensive at first but since they are so thick (4" or more) they don't have to be
changed as often.
Finally the best and most expensive filter you can buy is an electronic air cleaner. They
run about $700 -900 installed. They use electrically charged plates and wires to attract
dust and particles to them. You don't have to change the filter but they do require
periodic cleaning with household cleaners and water. I clean mine in my bathtub in the
winter and in the summer I use my driveway.
If you have central air another item that can save money both long term and short term
is to clean the outdoor condensing unit. These units suck air through the coils to cool
the freon off after it has been compressed. Of course the air is dirty especially in the
spring when the cottonwoods bloom. It may even be dirty because the outdoor unit is
too close to a dryer vent and lint is sucked up into the coils. Lawn mowers throw
clippings into the coils and of course vines and weeds can grow over the coil surface
as well. Don't prop any large object against the unit in the summer so as to block
airflow and if the unit is to be enclosed inside a fence make sure that there is at least
18" clear on all sides and keep that space free and clear.
If your unit becomes dirty take your garden hose and a nozzle and clean the coil surface
in the following manner. (If it makes you nervous spraying water on an electrical device
turn off the unit at the disconnect on the wall next to it or if it doesn't have one turn off the
power at circuit breaker panel. Remember this, rains falls on the unit all the time with
the power on and running and it doesn't hurt anything.) Starting a the top of the coil
squirt down the face of the coil at a steep angle so as not to push the dirt in between
the fins of the coil. You are just trying to push the dirt down the surface to the bottom.
After the surface is clear of visible dirt then you can squirt directly into the coil starting
again from the top to the bottom. If you want you can use some mild household
detergent but be sure to rinse thoroughly. Now what if have a unit where the coil
surface is not visible or hidden behind a sheet metal grille. I am going to leave that one
to you. You might tackle removing the sheet metal panels and then cleaning it but you
might want to call in the professionals at this point.