My a/c unit is on the fritz,in the heat of the day its about 93 outside and 87 inside,the a/c man came out and said i needed to clean my unit,but wouldnt tell me what to use,he wanted to do it and charge me one leg to do it....what should i use??
2007-06-13 15:38:10 · 4 answers · asked by J.B.1972 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
This may help:
http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18069
2007-06-13 15:43:43 · answer #1 · answered by GracieM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The site that GracieM recommends is great.
The Professionals use a compound called Acticlean. As a homeowner, you may not be able to get this. Try your local hardware store and look for evaporator coil cleaner. It should be highly diluted, as the aluminum fins on the evaporator can corrode quickly. Read and follow the instructions on the bottle.
If you are on a tight budget, take some dish soap and dilute it down, maybe a quarter teaspoon in a gallon of water. If you have a garden sprayer or mister, spray the coil and let it soak for a few minutes. Rinse with plenty of clear water.
A soft brush is also a handy tool to GENTLY brush the fins.
Your AC guy was discourteous , but you have to realize this is how he pays his mortgage and feeds his family. People get upset when they call a pro, but this person has a business to run, not a charity. Some technicians lack good people skills. He may have had an extremly busy month and be very tired of working 10 hour days to help folks out.
Keep Kool
2007-06-13 23:34:15 · answer #2 · answered by OrakTheBold 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is the unit in the window or wall? The evaporator is located in the front of the unit. Remove the front cover very carefully, some have screws and some just snap in and out.
There should be a filter, washable in front of it, made of foam or some other material. I use a vacuum cleaner or u can buy a special brush designed for the coils, "do not ever use your hand or fingers, very sharp, will cut you and painful" I also have a blow gun with high air pressure to clean the dirt from it.
Don't pay an A/C man for something you can do yourself for free. The condenser is on the outside of your house or apartment, you can use a water hose and make sure the drain off underneath the unit is clear, if it backs up, You may have water coming in on your floor
2007-06-13 23:13:29 · answer #3 · answered by joedward6788 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just take the cover off of the unit and with a fine spray hose off the inside of the unit. My unit stopped working the other day and that is all that it was. Find a new a/c person also, this guy is a scum bag for not telling you. try not to hose of the wires if you do just let everything dry for an hour or so wont really hurt anything
2007-06-13 22:45:31 · answer #4 · answered by s b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋