Advice · Air conditioning · 4 min read
Why your air conditioningneeds a yearly clean.
A musty smell when you first switch it on, air that feels less cool, a bill that creeps up: more often than not, the indoor unit simply needs a proper clean.
Maxime LyonsElectrician in La Croix-Valmer
What happens inside an air conditioning unit
The indoor unit draws in air from the room, passes it over a cold heat exchanger and blows it back out through a fan. Along the way, dust settles on the filters, and the moisture that condenses on the exchanger creates a perfect home for bacteria and mould.
Around the Gulf, many air conditioning systems run hard all summer, then sit idle for months. When they are first switched back on, everything that has built up is blown straight into the room: that familiar musty smell.
The tell-tale signs
- A musty or damp smell when the unit starts up
- Air that is less cool than before, or a weaker airflow
- Visible black marks on the grilles or the fan
- A unit that is noisier than usual, or that drips
Cleaning the filters, or cleaning the unit?
Rinsing the filters from time to time is worthwhile, and you can do it yourself. But the fan and the heat exchanger, where most of the bacteria collect, cannot be reached without dismantling the unit. A full clean means taking the unit apart, protecting the wall, then deep-cleaning the filters, fan and exchanger with high-pressure steam.
The right time: in spring, before the heat sets in. Your air conditioning is ready from the first days of summer, and the air is clean when you need it most.
What you gain
- Healthier, odour-free air
- A unit that cools better and uses less energy
- Equipment that lasts longer
