How To Maintain a Wall-Mounted Air Conditioner

Although not all households are able to accommodate a central-air system, during the summertime even they will need a way to stay cool. Luckily the saviour comes in the form of a wall-mounted air conditioner.

A wall-mounted air conditioner is incredibly effective at keeping the rooms of your home comfortable. However, like all forms of technology, a wall-mounted air conditioner will need to be properly cared for.

Giving your air conditioner regular attention keeps it in good condition, aiding in saving both energy and money, alongside extending the lifespan of the unit exceptionally! For a wall-mounted air conditioner, maintenance will be straight-forward though of course there are some tips and tricks to follow. Read on to get all of them!

Here’s how to maintain a wall-mounted air conditioner!

Choosing your wall-mounted air conditioner model

source: Flickr

If your home can’t accommodate a central A/C system, and you’ve chosen to consider a wall-mounted air conditioner, you’ll still have to think about how it will fit into your home. A wall-mounted unit requires a hole in the wall so that it can gather outdoor air, and thus, you’ll need to be certain you have the capacity and space for it!

Wall-mounted A/C units come in a variety of sizes, and the size will directly impact how large of a hole you’ll have to make. If you already have a wall-mounted unit and are simply replacing it, then measure the existing opening and buy a unit based on the dimensions.

Smaller wall-mounted units will not have enough cooling capacity to cool your entire home, but will easily keep a few rooms comfortable. However, there are larger units that can live both inside or outside of the home, and these will have a much greater cooling capacity. However, these will require a complex installation process, so if you don’t have the time or the funds, you may be better off going with something smaller.

Also, it is important to bear in mind that buying an over-sized unit for a small room won’t necessarily mean it cools more efficiently. In fact, the unit you choose should directly coordinate with the size of the room, as this will allow it to work properly and won’t cost you more than expected in energy.

Improve the energy efficiency of your air conditioner

To save energy, as well as money, it is important to find ways to improve the air conditioner's efficiency. One of the easiest ways to do this is with weather-stripping. Since wall-mounted units will need a hole in the wall, it is easy for air to leak from the space between the unit and the outside world.

Applying weather-stripping to seal any gaps will greatly improve efficiency by preventing cool inside air from escaping or hot outside air from entering.

Also, some may choose to uninstall the unit during cooler months. This should be avoided, as the weather-stripping installed will work to keep winter air from making its way into your home. Thus, even with the air conditioner in place, the indoor temperature will be maintained. If your unit is outdoors, and you’re worried about it facing damage, then it would be recommended that you buy a cover to prevent this.

Regular maintenance of a wall-mounted air conditioner

source: Pixabay

For your wall-mounted air conditioner to run smoothly, you'll want to give it tender love and care by performing regular maintenance. Sometimes, wall-mounted A/Cs are unable to blow chilly air into the home because the evaporator or condenser coil is clogged.

These pieces are easy enough to clean and can be performed by the novice homeowner. To clean them, start by removing the plastic holder or trim panel from its place, it should simply snap off.

Next, using a fine comb, you’ll want to straighten the bent cooling fins. Fin combs can be found at your local hardware stores, and some A/C units will even come equipped with them. Complete this step carefully, as the tubing embedded in the fins is very important to their performance. 

Next, vacuum the coils and immediately following, take two cans of air conditioner coil spray, and apply them directly to the coils. Make sure that the fins are straightened back into place following cleaning. As we mentioned, any reduction of air-flow through the fins will reduce efficiency. 

Also, if you find them particularly dirty, you can clean the air conditioner's fan blades with a householder cleaner and a fresh cloth, removing dust. If the fan of the A/C has a motor, pop a small amount of motor oil to keep it running smoothly.

Lastly, another important part of the air conditioner worth mentioning is the filter. Your unit’s filter must be cleaned or replaced regularly, and this will depend on the type of unit you have. 

If your unit happens to be located outside, it will be important to remove debris that has built up in the condenser or compressor area. This can be done by removing the cage from the top of the unit, and then debris or leaves can be vacuumed out or by hand.

Make sure to never use a pressure washer to clean the inside of the air conditioner, since the pressure will damage the fin. Also, keep the surrounding area clean, raking away any leaves or sweeping dust and debris.