How to maintain your AC efficiency this monsoon. 10 points to remember

Regular maintenance of the air conditioners not only increases the cooling efficiency but also ensures lower consumption of electricity.

Naohiko Hosokawa, Director & Business Unit Head-Living Environment Division, Mitsubishi Electric India Pvt. Ltd. lists some pointers that will help keep your air conditioners running at their full capacity.

Get a voltage stabilizer

Voltage stabilizers are considered one of the best investments, especially if you live in an area where monsoons bring along frequent and unannounced power cuts. Therefore, it is recommended to use voltage stabilizers to protect your Air Conditioner. Those unexpected power outages and electrical fluctuations can do severe damage to the HVAC internal components and can wear them out before their expected shelf life.

Humidity control

Maintaining humidity control indoors is of utmost importance especially during monsoon. While a normal humidity level is good for our health, high levels can lead to various issues. Hence, the recommended range for an indoor environment is 30-50 % relative humidity.

However, during monsoons humidity level sometimes extends the recommended range. Therefore, it is advisable to run your AC in dry mode. Dry mode helps in extracting moisture thereby removing extra humidity from the environment. The room Air Conditioner product has a dry mode on remote controllers. People can use it more often as it is better for the environment and at the same time helps in reducing energy costs and lowering carbon footprint.

Clean Outdoor Unit

The room Air Conditioners are accompanied by an outdoor unit which is an integral part of your system. A little rain might help remove debris that could otherwise remain lodged. However, heavy rainfall and stormy weather can clog the unit with leaves, dust, twigs, etc. So, it’s very important to give a breathable space to your ACs’ outdoor unit.

Dirty condenser coils also reduce cooling capacity which leads to higher energy consumption. It can also lead to system breakdown.

Optimum Temperature

It is advisable to run your AC between 25 to 30 degrees during the monsoon as it maintains the perfect temperature for those rainy days. This range is also an ideal temperature as it reduces electricity costs.

Switch off AC during a storm.

During monsoon, heavy storms are likely to take place, and sometimes it gets severe. Therefore, one should always switch off their AC units during the storm as it can damage the outdoor fan blades of the AC machine along with the other parts. This does not only put your system at risk but sometimes your safety as well. It can also slow down your AC performance. Once the storm is over, check the outdoor unit, clear the debris and then restart your AC.

Clean AC Coils

To maximize the efficiency of your system, AC Coils/ condenser coils need to be cleaned especially during monsoon. These coils which are located in the outdoor unit for a room AC are directly responsible for cooling. So, when dirt builds up on the coils, they tend to restrict their ability to transfer heat. This in turn will let your AC consume more energy. It is suggested to clean them whenever you find them dirty or else call professionals to service your ACs.

Keep a check on drainpipes

It is important to check drainpipes now and then especially during monsoon. The drainpipe may be clogged due to dirt accommodation or water released due to high humidity in the atmosphere. Over time, algae can also build over. Therefore, all the water should be released from the drain outlet.

How to operate AC well

Before you switch on your AC make sure to close all the doors and windows. This is done to maintain the desired room temperate. Rather than forcing your AC to work overtime and pump out cold air, set your unit at a stable temperature. During monsoon, extra care should be taken for keeping doors and windows closed as if not taken care of it may lead humid air to enter the room and create water droplets at walls, windows etc. due to condensation.

Enhance AC performance

Please remember not to install any heat generating & power converting device like LED TV, Computer, etc. nearby Air Conditioners as it may impact on system performance.

Don’t hesitate to call professionals.

Even after taking all the necessary precautions, if you are still facing issues, please make sure to call professionals for AC service. Prevention is better than cure. This goes with your AC as well. Instead of ignoring an issue or put it for some other day and then regretting it, it’s always better to book a service call and have that AC issue checked by a professional service engineer.