Tips for Maintaining Your AC

While many people are super conscientious about cleaning, there's one appliance that almost always goes undetected  - the air conditioner. Not only do many people forget that their AC is in essence an appliance, but (just like other appliances), they take for granted that it's always going to run.  While that's mostly true, the question is whether its running effectively? 

Chances are, if you're not cleaning and maintaining your portable air conditioner (or any air conditioner for that matter), then not only is not going to run at optimal levels, it might actually also make you sick! 

If you have a central air conditioning system and have ever looked at the filter, you know exactly what I mean.  And if you haven't, then imagine a dryer filter but much much dirtier, harboring all sorts of bacteria, dust mites and possibly even mold.  And naturally, the more you use your AC the greater the need to clean it with adequate frequency.

The same holds true for your portable air conditioning unit.  Though it has a compact design and is considerable charming looking, it too is an appliance in need of maintenance.  Check out a few tips to get started on not only having a cleaner more well-maintained AC, but a healthier AC.

1.  Dirt Removal - Just like with anything else, portable ac units are not immune to dirt and dust settlement.  So when dusting your home, don't forget your portable AC.  Just run a damp cloth over it and make sure you wipe thru the filter panels as well.  Ideally, you should be doing this every two weeks. 

What makes cleaning portable ACs really easy is the fact that they're compact and moveable.  In this way, it takes considerably less time (and no cost) to clean - which isn't the case for any other cooling unit.

2.  Carbon Filter - If you haven't purchased one yet, invest in a portable ac unit with a carbon air filter. Consider the NewAir ACP-1000H with auto-evaporative technology and an activated carbon air filter that helps remove odors.  This model also includes an ionizer that collects fine dust particles from the you breathe. Having a carbon filter, or other types of filters, gets the unit to do have the work for you. 

Overall though, filters usually have to be cleaned once every summer.

3. Ventilation - One of the key things necessary to maintain your unit is to ventilate it.  Most portable ACs require a duct or hose that connects quite discreetly to a window.  Those leads out, where the collected water gets drained.  In this way, properly ventilating your ac will go a long way in maintaining it.

4. Drainage - This ties back into ventilation.  While you ventilate to drain, some units collect the water.  If this is the type of unit you have, make sure you take a moment (usually depending on the frequency of use) to drain the unit of excess water.

Secondly, the water drainage system also needs to be maintained on a regular basis. Once your air conditioning unit starts to cool, water or moisture is removed. In fact, it is the same moisture which is also used for cooling the unit. During very hot humid weather you will often find that some water is usually collected. Various portable air conditioning units have different designs and they deal with condensate water in various ways.

      Types of drainage:

  • Buckets:  Units have an internal container that needs regular drainage.  Depending on your use and the conditions, drainage frequency can range from 8 hours to once a month. 
  • Self-Evaporating:  More elite units, such as the NewAir ACP-1000H have the ability to evaporate moisture through their drain exhaust. Some manufacturers even offer fully evaporative models
  • Gravity Drain - All portable air conditioners have the option of a permanent connecting water drain hose that collects water continuously to drain to a nearby floor drain.
  • Condensate Pumps - Condensate pumps help pump collected water through a drain hose that is usually connected to a window.

Don't forget to drain the unit completely before storing it away!

5. Defrosting - Defrost the unit completely if nice builds up on the coils, and wait till this is done before re-using the unit.

One of the great things about portable air conditioners, especially in comparison to other cooling units, is that they provide the atmosphere of central air conditioning but don't require the heavy cleaning or high cleaning cost.  They're simple effective appliances that only need mild maintenance for functional use.

AC Comparison Chart