Summer is approaching. When you find the air conditioner not cold enough, the fan force reduces, have musty smell and strange noise, you may think it is time to clean the air-conditioner. In addition to using air-conditioner detergent to clear air-conditioner by yourself, there are also different air-conditioner cleaning services on the market. So, under what circumstances we can wash the air conditioner by ourselves, and when should we use the air conditioner cleaning service? Today, the expert consultant, Yeung Ming Lam will answer all your questions about cleaning air-conditioner.
Parts that accumulate dust in the air conditioner
There are many parts inside the air conditioner that can collect dust. When the air conditioner is not used, the internal temperature of the air conditioner will rise. Due to the humid weather in Hong Kong, moisture and accumulated dust and dirt will cause allergens, bacteria and mould to grow in the air conditioner. Leaving the air conditioner unclean for a long time will reduce the indoor air quality. Air conditioner parts that collect dust:
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Dust screen
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Refrigeration filter (Coil position)
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Air-conditioner fan (Fan)
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Air outlet
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Air-conditioner cover
The real use of air-conditioner detergent?
In addition to cleaning the air filter, there are some air conditioner detergent that can be sprayed on the evaporator behind the air filter. The cleaning detergent can dissolve the dirt and scale. And the dissolved sewage will drain away through the water tray.
However, the air-conditioner spraying detergent cannot go into the inner cooling coil (condenser). In addition, the dust and stains accumulated in the water tray used to drain the sewage cannot be easily removed with air-conditioner detergent.
Therefore, the real function of air-conditioner detergent are
- Keep the cooling coil as clean as possible with a clean surface
- Maintain and improve the cooling effect (fast cooling after cleaning and therefore use less electricity)
The air-conditioner detergent cannot clean the air conditioner inside out. The wind blown by the air conditioner still contains bacteria, and the air quality is not improved. Since the air-conditioner detergent fails to clean the entire air conditioner, it cannot completely solve the problems of allergens and bacteria.
The process of air-conditioner cleaning service
It is not impossible to clean the air-conditioner by yourself, but there are certain risks of doing so. If you don’t understand the structure of it, you may damage some parts of the air-conditioner. Hiring the professionals air-conditioner cleaning service is safe and effective. They are equipped with high-pressure water guns, special disinfection agents for air-conditioning, etc, that we usually don’t have at home.
General air-conditioner cleaning procedures
1.Remove the air conditioner cover. Clean the dust screen, air outlet, fan blade, face cover and the cabinet.
2.Wash the cooling coil with a high-pressure water gun.
3.Thoroughly disinfect the evaporator coil and cooling coil using the air conditioner washing liquid.
4.Use a high-pressure water gun to clean the water tray and wash away the dirt and dust.
5.Clean the blower wheel. You will see the sewage turns from black to grey, and then to be clean. (Blower wheel is a cylindrical fan, hidden behind the cooling coil, which is not easy to remove and clean by yourself. The professional will remove the blower wheel and spray detergent, and then use a high-pressure water gun to spray a large amount of clean water into it and then rinse it out);
6.If the drainpipe is blocked, they will unblock it.
How to decide when air-conditioning needs to be washed?
Need to clean with air-conditioner detergent
Open the dust screen and observe the cooling coil behind the dust screen. If the cooling coil is not pure silver, the stain will affect the cooling effect. At this time, you can use the air conditioner detergent to clean it yourself.
Need to have air-conditioner cleaning service
Use a flashlight to observe whether there is dust and mould on the blower wheel from the air outlet. If there is mould near the air outlet, it means that the interior of the air-conditioner is severely mouldy! In this case, you must use the cleaning air-conditioning service. If you continue to use the air-conditioner, the air will carry bacteria when the cool air is blown out.
How often do I need to wash the air-conditioner?
The air-conditioner detergent can only maintain the cooling power rather than maintaining the cleanliness of the entire air-conditioner, it is recommended have it cleaned once a year by professional air-conditioner cleaning service.
The best time to clean air conditioner
The most ideal cleaning time for average family is after Chinese New Year festival. Clean it before Summer arrives.
A lot of dust were accumulated inside the air-conditioner. When we stop using it, dust may become mouldy and make it the best breeding ground for bacteria. Thus, it is best to clean the air-conditioner before Summer to ensure the best air quality.
Precautions for cleaning air conditioners
There are many models, brands, and types of air conditioners. Some of them are more special in terms of structure and design. Therefore, the air-conditioner may not be 100% clean even with professional cleaning service.
Some split-type air-conditioners cannot be disassembled for cleaning because they are connected to the refrigerant pipe. Thus, they can be cleaned partly, but not entirely. And for those window-type air-conditioners what are installed too high or if they are too heavy, they may not be able to uninstall for cleaning. Moreover, some ducted air conditioners are hidden in the ceiling because of the visual purpose, which cannot be cleaned due to the installation constraints.
Air conditioner cleaning service may not be applicable to all types of air-conditioners. If you have high requirements for the cleanliness of the air-conditioner, you need to carefully select the one that can be easily cleaned when making the purchase.
(Images source: amvsystems, chfindustry)
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