How to Service your own A/C with pics

[Lancear15]

I noticed my A/C has been running more than usual this year, and not cooling the house as fast. HVAC companies want about $75 just to come and look, and $100-150 just for a regular "servicing", which is basically a heat exchanger cleaning. So I decided to do it myself, here is how.

Tools used: 5/16ths nut driver, shop vac, garden hose.

Here is my unit:



1. Turn off your thermostat

2. Pull out your service disconnect switch and replace it in the off position





3. With a 5/16ths nut driver remove the screws around the very top perimeter of the unit and those holding the cover to the electrical components.





4. The wires that go to the fan that is mounted to the top of the unit need to be loosened and fed into the unit so that there is enough slack to take off the top portion of the unit. You may have to cut a ty-rap or two. Then pull off the top of the unit and place it next to the unit, be careful not to damage the wires.

[Lancear15]

5. Then remove the screws around the bottom perimeter of the unit and remove the vented side walls. Be careful not to damage/bend the fins of the heat exchanger while removing the side walls.



This is what my Unit looked like disassembled.









Very dirty as you can see, a combination of dog hair, vegetation debris, and dirt.

6. vacuum up the large debris inside and out, move the vacuum hose up and down on the heat exchanger so you don't bend the fins. Also be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp fins.

[Lancear15]

7. This is over kill, but I like to do it right and do it once. I took a soft bristle brush (which became a dog chew toy a while back), and gently brush up and down the heat exchanger. It was amazing how much dirt came out, I had to stop a few times just to get some fresh air there was so much dust in the air. This is even after vacuuming with a 6hp shop vac very thoroughly. After brushing I vacuumed again and then brushed again. I know, I'm anal...



8. With your hose wash from the inside out the entire heat exchanger.



Here is the final product.







Should be good for another 5 years now.

Reassemble in opposite order:

1. Put side walls back on, screw in base screws (do not tighten completely until entire unit is back together)

2. Put top with fan back on and get screws started.

3. Pull the slack out of the wires feeding the fan back into the electrical enclosure and secure them (ty-rap, tape, twisting, etc.)

4. Put electrical enclosure cover back on.

5. Now tighten all screws on the unit.

6. But service disconnect back into on position.

7. Turn thermostat back on.

Done!

[GP3]

A/C Service

Thank you!

[Untamed1972]

So how's it running now? Reminds it's prolly about time to go check mine. Fortunately it's been a mild summer down here so far and I haven't had to use mine yet.....but the summer is still young.

Although the one thing that an A/C would do also as part of a normal service is check/top off your refridgerant charge if it needed any.

[Lancear15]

So how's it running now? Reminds it's prolly about time to go check mine. Fortunately it's been a mild summer down here so far and I haven't had to use mine yet.....but the summer is still young.

I did it last night after work, I noticed an immediate difference. It took about an hour to do it, and if I had known how dirty it actually was I would have done it a long time ago.

Very much worth the effort.

[freonr22]

Inside between the supply and the return registers, ideally you are looking for an 18-22 degrees temperature split. on a 70 degree day or warmer.


AWESOME write up!

[audiophil2]

Great thread. I'll have to do it over the winter as a few hours without AC could be dangerous here.

[lewdogg21]

Lancear I may name the next island I conquer in honor of you.

Saving this thread for this weekend when I get home.

[GP3]

I'd like to add to the thread:

Don't forget to clean or replace your blower/evaporator unit filter (pictured bottom right)

[jre]

sweet! thanks for sharing.

[Lancear15]

Lancear I may name the next island I conquer in honor of you.

Saving this thread for this weekend when I get home.

Hehe, you're all welcome.

Sticky for the summer months mods?

[Hoologan]

So many people never think about cleaning their condensing units, let alone changing their evaporator filters every month! Nice work!

[dirtnap]

Sweet, my neighbor's AC is running hot, I'll pass this info off to him...it would be awesome if it's this easy to fix!

[Lancear15]

Sweet my first sticky'd thread...