It's summer outside! The sun is gently warming, the birds are singing, everyone around is happy, walking and relaxing on the shore of a lake or river. But when the thermometer needle starts to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, everything literally changes exactly the opposite. And at that moment you realize that everything is not so good. True, the situation can be improved if you have an air conditioner installed at home or at work.
Of course, air conditioning is a revolutionary invention, without which modern world almost impossible to get by. But we begin to think about it only when the heat has already arrived. And how not, by the way, it is at this moment that he refuses to work. It’s not for nothing that people have a saying “the sleigh is ready in the summer”; the same is true with air conditioning. It needs to be prepared for summer in the winter or, ultimately, in the spring.
Proper and timely maintenance of the air conditioner is the key to its long operation. First of all, I would like to draw attention to the very important point, before you start servicing your air conditioner. Make sure it is unplugged. Whatever work you do with it, the power supply must be turned off.
And where to start?
Start with a filter. It is located under the front panel. Carefully open it and remove them from there. This process should not be difficult for you. Usually the filter is washed in warm water with a soapy solution. The fact is that through this filter the air conditioner sucks air inside, cools it there and delivers it back into the room through the lower air duct. Even if the filter is slightly clogged, the operation will be impaired, since dust particles will clog the radiator block, coolers and everything inside the device.
Once the filters have been removed, take a vacuum cleaner and vacuum the outside of the radiator unit to remove any dust particles. The front panel, which we talked about earlier, can also be removed and washed in warm water. Next, wipe the lower air duct with a damp cloth. You can put a small attachment on the vacuum cleaner and vacuum it too. Clean everything as much as possible from dirt. After this, use a special spray to disinfect the external units of the air conditioner. Such bottles are sold in specialized stores. Spare no expense and be sure to buy yourself one, especially since it will last you for a long time. You put everything in place, but don’t turn anything on yet.
Next, you inspect the external unit. The biggest problem with the outdoor unit is poplar fluff. To clean the fan and radiator block from it, you will have to remove the protective grille. Attention! The air conditioner must be turned off. After cleaning, replace the grille and make sure it is installed correctly. Also inspect the drain neck for blockages. This is important, because if it is clogged, condensation will begin to flow directly from the indoor unit.
After all these procedures have been completed, you can turn on the air conditioner. If the switching does not happen, do not try to get into the electrical wiring yourself, it is better to contact service center for a specialist.
In the spring, with summer approaching, it’s time to remember that your car’s air conditioner needs maintenance. Without timely maintenance, the air conditioner will quickly fail - it will last for the first two to three years. The reason for this fragility is the aggressive environment used in winter to combat road icing. Aluminum tubes fail very quickly under the influence of special anti-icing substances. Salt, which is generously sprinkled on domestic roads in winter time, is a strong catalyst, so aluminum in contact with it is subject to severe corrosion.
Prevention
Important! In the spring, it is imperative to clean the places where aluminum tubes are low and high pressure adjacent to the car body.
This is where the first cracks appear, through which all the freon will escape. It is also very important to pay attention to the capacitor, which is usually located in front of the car's radiator.
Quite often the cause of damage aluminum tubes is the so-called “metal fatigue”. Special attention should be directed to the high pressure pipe that comes out of the compressor. The rubber adapter on this tube acts as a kind of shock absorber. If this rubber tube dries out and becomes stiff, it will no longer compensate for engine vibration at idle. You should also check the clamps securing this tube - they may become loose. If the tube has lost its elasticity, it should be replaced at the end of the winter season.
But still, the above measures may not be sufficient for the normal operation of the air conditioner. Therefore, you need to check the condition of the rubber shock-absorbing cushions under the engine. If these cushions wear out, the likelihood of high and low pressure pipe ruptures increases. When replacing the tubes themselves, you should pay attention to the freon itself. When carrying out repairs, the technician must pump out freon from the air conditioner to create a vacuum. After preventative maintenance, the air conditioning system will function much better.
You need to prepare your air conditioner for hot summer days in advance. Otherwise, if you decide to cool your apartment on the first hot day, you may get an unpleasant surprise in the form of problems with the operation of the device. Let's talk about how to properly prepare your air conditioner for the upcoming summer season.
We believe that using our advice, you have chosen and installed the right air conditioner in your apartment or house. In winter, these devices are most often not used. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out preservation in the fall, doing everything correctly and preparing the air conditioner for the cold period.
But even if you carried out preventive maintenance in the fall and mothballed your room cooler, the troubles do not end there. Now you need to check how ready the air conditioner is for active operation in the summer heat.
This is what it might look like internal filter air conditioner whose owners neglect to clean it regularly. During the summer, when the device is used daily, experts recommend cleaning the indoor unit filter every two weeks. It is important to know what kind of filter you have - if it is disposable, you will have to change it according to the instructions.
The removable filter is best washed under running water, and while it dries, treat the remaining internal parts accessible after removing the housing with antiseptics and disinfectants to prevent the appearance unpleasant odor while the air conditioner is operating.
Important! You need to work carefully, strictly following the instructions, which will tell you exactly how to remove the case and what to pay attention to.
The external unit of the air conditioner is more complicated. If you have it hanging on high altitude, on the wall of a high-rise building, without specialists you simply will not be able to get to it. It’s easier in a private house and on the ground floor. You can vacuum the grille and fan blades, wipe the housing, and check its integrity.
Important! Before cleaning the air conditioner, disconnect it from the power supply each time, and turn it on no earlier than half an hour after finishing cleaning.
If possible, it is advisable to rinse the outer casing with water pressure, for example, from a hose or mini-wash. Do not turn on the device until everything is completely dry! After such cleaning of the external and internal buildings you should turn on the air conditioner full power to make sure that all fans are working properly and there is nothing obstructing them.
An important part of preparing the air conditioner for the summer season is refilling it with freon. Refueling is required if your indoor unit does not provide enough cold air. To check, set the air conditioner operating mode to maximum cooling and hold the thermometer in the outlet of the indoor unit. The temperature of the blown air should be within 12-15 degrees.
Let us immediately note that you will not be able to refuel the air conditioner yourself without the appropriate equipment and skills. Call specialists who can also carry out the entire required range of work. Such comprehensive training air conditioner for the summer, including cleaning the indoor and outdoor units, refilling with freon, diagnostics, checking electrical contacts, tightness of connections, will cost about 2,500 rubles. For regular cleaning of the air conditioner you will have to pay from 500 rubles.
Summer is approaching - the main operating season for air conditioners and a time of increased demand for split systems. And the already expected unbearable summer heat, which is from “abnormal” beyond last years has become almost traditional, only spurring interest in air conditioners. However, when purchasing a split system, you need to understand that it will require more attention than Appliances like an iron or hair dryer. An air conditioner is a complex piece of equipment that requires special care. What needs to be done to make it work long and efficiently? Let's try to figure it out.
Who can you trust to install a split system?
Choosing the right split system for your needs is only part of the story. It is also important to install it correctly. The choice of specialists who will install the air conditioner should be taken seriously - after all, poor-quality installation can affect the efficiency of the device and its reliability in the future.
Manufacturers recommend contacting authorized installation organizations whose specialists have experience working with equipment of this particular brand. Otherwise, installation errors cannot be ruled out, which could lead, for example, to a freon leak and subsequent failure of the compressor or, if the electrical connections are incorrectly switched, the air conditioner electronics.
Scheduled inspection.
Air conditioners require regular inspection by specialists. In the case of a household split system, it is advisable to carry out an inspection twice a year - before the start of the season (spring) and after it (autumn), if this is not possible, then at least once a year - by gum. Split systems operated long time With high degree loads (eg those installed in offices) require more frequent inspections.
What happens if you leave your air conditioner without scheduled inspections? Its performance depends largely on the efficient operation of heat exchangers. However, over time, their surfaces become contaminated with dust, fluff, etc. If dirt is not cleaned out periodically, heat transfer will deteriorate and, as a result, the operation of the air conditioner will become less efficient.
However, bad job Split systems are not so bad. Much worse is that contamination of the heat exchangers can lead to overheating of the compressor and its breakdown. In addition, over time, the system may leak refrigerant, which can lead to a decrease in the performance of the air conditioner, and in some cases, failure of the compressor. Therefore, leaks also need to be detected in advance.
Conduct Maintenance Split systems should only be installed by specialists who have both the equipment and skills for this type of work. They will check the condition of the air conditioner, its operating parameters, if necessary, clean the filters and heat exchangers of the split system, and if they find a freon leak, they will top it up with the required type of refrigerant.
Routine inspections of climate control equipment can also be carried out by specialists from the company that installed the air conditioner (if the contract provides for this), but you can also contact another organization that provides similar services. It is important that the service company is authorized to work on the brand of equipment that your air conditioner belongs to.
It must be said that the manufacturers of split systems themselves guarantee trouble-free operation of their models only if the operating rules are observed. Some companies may refuse warranty repairs if it turns out that the device has not undergone proper annual inspection by specialists.
Do-it-yourself maintenance of the indoor unit of a split system.
Maintenance of the outdoor unit of a split system should be left to professionals (especially since it is usually located at a high altitude, and only people with special equipment and skills can reach it). But the user can take care of the cleanliness of the indoor unit himself.
It is necessary to clean the internal block of the split system not only to extend its service life, but also for your own health. The fact is that condensation forms in the indoor unit during operation of the air conditioner. High humidity and an abundance of dust create a good environment in the device for the development of bacteria and mold fungi. This outbreak is doubly dangerous because microorganisms can spread throughout the house with the air flow and cause diseases. Therefore, you should not neglect cleaning the indoor unit - you need to periodically wash the housing, clean the fan blades and heat exchanger ( this can also be done using a vacuum cleaner or toothbrush), wash or replace filters in a timely manner (if they are replaceable). Of course, many manufacturers try to reduce this work to a minimum - they make self-cleaning filters, cover the surfaces of the housing and heat exchangers with antibacterial or dirt-repellent compounds, and use drying systems. However, it is still necessary to maintain cleanliness.
Maintenance of the indoor unit does not require the owner special effort: it is enough to periodically wipe the housing and monitor the condition of the filters.
Coming out as a replacement.
The issue of replacing outdated or failed models with new ones deserves special attention. Split systems, as you know, consist of two blocks (internal and external), connected by copper tubes through which the refrigerant circulates, as well as interblock communication wires. Technical specifications All elements of this system (number of wires, diameter and design of pipes) may vary depending on the brand, performance and features of each specific model. Therefore, it is possible to install new blocks on pipes already laid in the walls only when all the parameters of the old and new models coincide - and choosing such a replacement is not so easy. As a result, in most cases it is necessary to completely change the entire system and lay new pipes. Things may be somewhat simpler if new model- the same brand as the old one, they may have the same many parameters. Some manufacturers even specifically provide for easy replacement of their equipment with updated versions.
In recent years, the market has seen a massive replacement of split system models operating on R22 refrigerant with new models using R41QA refrigerant. This happened due to stricter requirements for the environmental safety of freon mixtures. Therefore, owners of air conditioners charged with R22 freon (such models were very popular on the Russian market due to the combination of low cost and good performance) may encounter problems when replacing a worn-out device. New equipment operating on R410A freon cannot be installed on tubes from a model using R22. Rare exceptions are split systems with R410A refrigerant with a specially built-in possibility of installation on pipes from R22 without previous flushing of the lines.
For reference: Most modern split systems can not only cool the air, but also heat it. This is possible thanks to the " heat pump": the device swaps the functions of the heat exchangers, as a result, the indoor unit begins to release heat into the air, and the outdoor unit - cold.
At good conditions(not very low temperature outside) air conditioners heat the room even more efficiently than, for example, electrical devices heating. After all, the latter are not capable of producing more than 1 kW of heat per 1 kW of consumed electricity, while a split system will cope with this task. It spends electricity not on heating the air, but on transferring heat from one environment (outdoor air) to another (indoor air) through the operation of a compressor and fans.
But still completely replace heating devices air conditioners will not be able to - when the off-season gives way to winter, the heating performance of the device will begin to gradually decrease. After all, the lower the outside air temperature, the lower the efficiency of the split system. And in very severe frosts, the devices will not be able to work for heating at all. Therefore, a decrease in the thermal power of appliances when the outside air temperature drops is a natural phenomenon, and not a consequence of a malfunction of the split system. A significant part of air conditioners that are supplied to Russian market, are capable of heating the air at frosts of about 5-15 °C below zero, although some models are specially equipped with what is also called a winter set - they are more “frost-resistant” and work even at 20-30 °C so that the condenser of the outdoor unit does not freeze when operating heating in cold weather, many companies provide the possibility of automatic defrosting of the heat exchanger.
When winter has already passed and the street is getting warmer every day, it’s time to remember your “savior” in the sultry summer days- air conditioning. The season has not yet arrived when professional companies will begin active sales climate control equipment and service specialists are more or less free, and service prices have not begun to rise quickly - it’s time for air conditioner users to think about preparing their units for the upcoming work.
According to the American Institute of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, forty percent of the electricity that people use in apartments and houses comes from cooling and heating equipment. Maximum correct work household climate control equipment allows users not to spend extra money on electricity, and its high-quality and timely maintenance means not to spend money on repairs.
Therefore, owners of air conditioners should prepare in advance for the warm season, of course, with the help of climate control equipment specialists. Some, enough simple work users can do the rest themselves, but the rest requires knowledge and special tools, will need to be performed only by professionals. So what can owners do to prepare the air conditioner for operation in the summer?
Users can independently remove from the equipment air filters, rinse them thoroughly, dry them and put them back in place. They can also clean outdoor unit(if available) from dust, dirt, leaves, branches and other debris so that there is good air circulation. Users can also rinse external unit under running water from a hose and especially rinse the system condenser - it should be clean and clearly visible. They can also check the air conditioning fans to make sure they are not catching on anything.
If the above actions raise any questions or difficulties for the user, and he is afraid of doing something wrong, then it is better to immediately invite service specialists from a specialized company, preferably the one that installed the air conditioner. In addition to cleaning (replacing) filters, washing the outdoor unit and checking all fans, they will also carry out other work necessary for the normal functioning of the air conditioner.
Professionals will check the amount of refrigerant, evaporator, thermostats and air conditioning controls, inspect communications for possible leaks, inspect and, if necessary, clean electrical contacts, update the thermal insulation of copper tubes, and also lubricate the necessary parts of the unit and refill the unit with freon (if required).
All work carried out by the service team will prepare the air conditioner for normal and uninterrupted operation. summer period time. Timely care of the air conditioner will not allow users to get into a situation where suddenly hot days come outside, and for some reason the air conditioner suddenly begins to cool poorly or stops turning on altogether.
The same American Institute of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration believes that a regularly and well-maintained climate system can last at least fifteen years until its service life is completely exhausted. By the way, this very institution in America today is engaged in establishing service standards for all those existing there. central systems conditioning.