• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Suburbia Unwrapped
  • Recipes
    • How To's
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts and Snacks
    • Other
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • Decor
    • Beauty Recipes
    • Cleaning
  • Family Life
    • Homemaking
    • Happiness
    • Having Fun
    • Outdoor Living
    • Pet Care
    • Saving Money
    • Giving Back
    • Health
  • Parenting
    • Education
    • Environment Worksheets
    • Raising Teens
  • Entertainment
    • Books
    • What to Watch
    • Party Tips
    • Restaurants
    • Technology
  • Looking Good
    • Accessories
    • Beauty Tips
    • Fashion
    • Shopping

Home » Family Life » Homemaking » Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips for Better Cooling and Lower Bills!

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips for Better Cooling and Lower Bills!

June 17, 2019 by Diane Hoffmaster 15 Comments

Posts feature partner companies & may be sponsored. Post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Last Updated on June 17, 2019 by Diane Hoffmaster

Living in the south has a few perks.  I get to garden for 9 months out of the year.  I have discovered a love of chicken fried steak and cornbread with fresh jalapenos.  And, oddly enough, I have even come to enjoy country music.  However, the one thing I absolutely detest about living in the south is the heat.  Want to know how to get a cooler home this summer?  Need to lower electric bills?  Here are a few air conditioner maintenance tips that may help!

Air conditioner maintenance tips for a cooler house for less money

Table of Contents

  • Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
  • Change air conditioner filters: 
    • More Home Repair Tips
  • Clean air conditioner coils: 
  • Remove debris from around the outdoor unit:
  • Clear the condensate drain: 
  • Hire Air Conditioner Maintenance Professionals
  • How to Save Money on Air Conditioning
    • Have any other air conditioner maintenance tips to share?

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

Honestly, how do people survive when the out of doors feels like a giant sauna with bugs the size of small rodents?  I know how *I* survive the hell of summer heat...I live inside all summer with my air conditioner running! 

We live in a two story house with a very old air conditioner.  That means air conditioner maintenance is vital for me to keep my electric bill as low as possible. A well-tuned air conditioning system and a programmable thermostat can cut your utility bills by 30%.  If you want to save money and maximize your cooling efficiency this summer, follow these air conditioner maintenance tips.

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

 

Change air conditioner filters: 

Changing your air conditioner filters is one of the most important air conditioner maintenance tips you can follow.  Clogged, dirty filters slow down air flow and increase energy usage.  Some types of air conditioner filters are reusable, while others are disposable.  Talk to your local air conditioner service provider if you cannot locate yours.

More Home Repair Tips

  • Common Home Repair Fails to Consider Before Grabbing Your Tools
  • Home Improvement Safety Tips for Safer House Repair!
  • How to Spruce Up Your Mailbox with Very Little Effort!

outdoor air conditioning units

Clean air conditioner coils: 

The air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt as they do their job.  This dirt reduces airflow and reduces its ability to absorb heat. The result is an air conditioner that does not cool well and costs a lot more money to run.  Clean the coils yearly.

What can you  use to clean AC coils?Just mix warm water and a simple detergent in a spray bottle, hand sprayer or garden sprayer. Apply the water and detergent solution to the evaporator coils.  Let sit for a few minutes and wipe away the loose material with a soft cloth or brush.  You can also use compressed air in a can or an air compressor to blow off the debris.  You can also try using air conditioner coil cleaner. 

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

Remove debris from around the outdoor unit:

Central air conditioners  have an outdoor condenser unit.  Make sure there is no debris blocking the unit from proper air flow.

Clear the condensate drain: 

Years ago, our air conditioner condensate drain became blocked and we ended up with a HUGE pool of water under the air conditioner.  Unfortunately, it also overflowed the drainage pan and ended up seeping through my ceiling.  We learned our lesson!  Periodically clean your air conditioner condensate drain with a stiff brush or pass a small amount of dilute bleach or vinegar through the lines.

11118988_10153389963207448_4759504579251526353_n

Hire Air Conditioner Maintenance Professionals

I know you want to save money and tackle a ton of air conditioner maintenance tips on your own but some things are best left to professionals.  Hire an air conditioner service technician to make sure your unit is in tip top shape.  Your service technician will be able to check for correct amount of refrigerant and detect any leaks in the system. He can also replace old belts and electrical elements as well as make sure your thermostat is accurate.

How often should you have your air conditioner serviced?  Heating and air conditioning equipment, no matter what kind you have, should be inspected, cleaned, and serviced at least once a year. So, do your regular air conditioner maintenance, but call in professionals regularly, too. 

air conditioner and remote control

How to Save Money on Air Conditioning

So, these air conditioner maintenance tips are vital to keep your unit in tip top shape.  And that means that you will probably lower electric bills during the summer.  But, how do you save money on air conditioning once your until is running smoothly?  

Don't set your air conditioner quite as low at night.  Dress in lightweight pajamas and swap your comforter out for a light sheet.  You won't even notice the warmer temperatures.  If you really need a cold bedroom, buy a window air conditioning unit rather than run the whole house unit.  You sill save yourself money in the long run.  Also, make sure none of your vents are blocked with furniture.  They can't get the cold air to you easily if there is a couch sitting over it. 

Have any other air conditioner maintenance tips to share?

 

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.

« Hiking Tips for Women: What the books don't tell you!
Teach Kids to Give Back to the Community »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sabrina

    July 13, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    What great tips! We just bought a new house and there was so much ivy growing around the AC unit, we hired out a specialist to come in and tame it. There were vines IN the machine too!!

    Reply
    • Diane

      July 14, 2015 at 11:09 pm

      That is definitely NOT good for the air conditioner!

      Reply
  2. Ellen Christian (@ellenblogs)

    July 14, 2015 at 3:23 pm

    Maintaining your air conditioner is really important. If you don't take care of it, it can end up costing you more in cooling bills.

    Reply
  3. Raijean

    July 14, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    Thanks for the tips, I wasn't quite sure what proper maintenance included but this is very helpful.

    Reply
  4. Jacqui

    July 14, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Our air conditioner needs fix. These are great tips.

    Reply
    • Diane

      July 14, 2015 at 11:08 pm

      Glad they were helpful!

      Reply
  5. Sara Killinger

    July 22, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    Our house gets incredibly hot during the summer and I rely on my air conditioner to keep me cool. My air conditioner is quite old and I have been trying to find ways to get as much mileage out of it as possible before I have to install a new one. I didn't realize that a clogged filter can slow down air flow and increase energy usage. I'll be sure to replace my air filter and hopefully it will help my air conditioner last a few more years.

    Reply
  6. Jonathan Pound

    September 29, 2015 at 10:34 pm

    Thanks for these tips. Living in the desert in the summer, when the AC goes out in our house, everyone gets a little grumpy. A cool house certainly helps to keep cool heads. I also like how you mention that keeping your AC in tip-top shape can save 30% on your utility bills.

    Reply
    • Diane

      October 01, 2015 at 6:58 pm

      It is definitely financially smart to make sure it is cooling efficiently!

      Reply
  7. Lucy Baker

    October 15, 2015 at 8:58 pm

    My air conditioner has been around for a few years. Even though it's been working great so far, I'm trying to start doing some preventative maintenance to keep the unit healthy. I'm sorry that your condensate drain became plugged one year! Can you explain how I can access this drain and clean it out? I'd hate for my air conditioner to become flooded as well.

    Reply
    • Diane

      October 18, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      There should be a tube coming out from the bottom/back of the air conditioner. Our maintenance guy told us to periodically pour a very dilute bleach solution through it to control buildup but not sure that is the right way to deal with it! I just make sure to have it serviced once a year and the maintenance guys take care of it for me!

      Reply
  8. Cal Driver

    January 15, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Thanks so much for this post! You're absolutely right--There are a lot of things that anyone can do without the help of a professional to help their HVAC. That being said, I think everyone should know the limits of what they can do. It's no use damaging your AC unit in an attempt to fix it. Good luck!

    Reply
  9. Elsie Cole

    February 03, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    I have always known about how you should regularly change your air filter. However, I was unaware that you needed to clean the air conditioner coils. That is definitely something that I have never done before, but I can see how the dirt that builds up can restrict air flow and waste energy.

    Reply
  10. Silas Knight

    July 15, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    I have never been good at taking care of the AC unit. However, I want our home to be more energy efficient, and I want to save money on power bills, so I want to take better care of it. I don't think I have ever cleaned the coils, let alone yearly, so I will start doing that as soon as possible!

    Reply
    • Diane

      July 15, 2016 at 4:01 pm

      new air conditioners are pricey so caring for it makes a lot of sense!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hi, I'm Diane! I'm a busy Atlanta area mom of two college kids trying to stay sane in the chaos of suburban life. I love cooking, gardening, reading and motorcycle rides with my husband.

Stay Connected!

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Press Page For PR
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2021 Suburbia Unwrapped