How often should you clean your air conditioner in summer?

Even though summer has just begun, your air conditioner has probably already had a workout over the last few weeks due to the extreme heat in many parts of Australia.

Cleaning the filters in your air conditioner is an easy yet frequently neglected chore that improves appliance performance and guards against unit damage.

Running a dirty air conditioner can also pose health dangers, and the cleaner an equipment is, the less expensive it will be to operate.

Why should your air conditioner be cleaned?

According to Kieran Le Plastrier, a Gold Coast-based general practitioner and assistant professor at Bond University, air conditioners usually filter out dust and pollen, which are “an important contributing factor to airways irritation.”

“The perfect conditions for mould growing” can also be created by mechanical air systems like air conditioners, according to Dr. Le Plastrier.

According to Chris Barnes, an expert in indoor heating and cooling from the consumer advocacy group Choice, a clogged air conditioner can also result in increased energy costs.

“The general estimate is that a clogged filter can add something like 5-15 per cent to running costs,” according to him.

“You’re likely not going to receive the desired level of cooling, and you’ll wind up paying for energy that you’re not really using.

Other areas to clean

Dust can also build up on ducts and vents, and Dr Le Plastrier suggests “getting in there with a maybe the vacuum cleaner or soft cloth, and wiping out anything that you can safely reach inside the unit”.

“Obviously, if you are going to be reaching inside the units, make sure that the things turned off … and get a stepladder or something like that so you can reach up there safely,” he says.

When it comes to the outdoor component, Mr Barnes says you should make sure there are no leaves or spider webs blocking the airflow.

“Give it a bit of a going over the with broom if it’s looking a bit mucky, and just make sure that there’s clear space around it … Don’t allow stuff to build up around it,” he says.

Keeping your air filters clean

Dr Le Plastrier says it’s a good idea to have a maintenance plan in place that includes periodically cleaning your air conditioner’s filters.

“Every few months, we’re supposed to check our smoke alarm batteries, and you could tie those two things together, perhaps,” he suggests.

And be aware that the need will vary depending on the season and your environment.

“If you run your air conditioner heavily and you’ve got very dusty air, you’re probably going to need to think about cleaning it more often,” Mr Barnes says.