Dan O. -- Wednesday, 8 August 2001, at 1:07 p.m.
: We have several window units and have hired
: someone each year to take them out for
: cleaning. My understanding is that he
: covered the compressor with thick plastic,
: then took the entire unit to a car wash and
: blasted it clean. Is that ok?
It is not just the compressor that should be kept dry during the cleaning of an air conditioner but *all* electrical components and especially the fan motor. The motor should also be oiled with an appropriate oil at the same time.
While a pressure wash alone may do a fairly decent job, an appropriate chemical cleaner is usually needed to remove any particulate buildup from the condenser right down to the bare metal. Even a light coating of this particulate left on the condenser coil will reduce efficiency somewhat. A wire brushing of the coils by hand may also be required.
Great care must be taken to not bend any of the evaporator or condenser 'fins' which are very pliable and easily damages (and as sharp as razor blades!). A pressure wash or rinse after the cleaner is applied is normal.
: And how can I manage that myself?
If appropriate cleaner can be located, it may be possible to do a reasonably close cleaning to what a professional would do with the units. Although you may not have the ability to detect potential problems that an experienced technician possibly could before they developed into costly repairs.
You can read an article describing an overview of the cleaning procedure at the link below.
Dan O.
