As the seasons change and the temperature drops, it’s time to start fall tasks to winterize your home. One of those tasks should be winterizing your air conditioner unit.
If you have an air conditioner, it’s important to properly winterize it, so it’s ready for next summer. With help from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, your air conditioner will be ready to take on the cold and snow.
If you have split or central air, you’ll need to get the outside condenser ready for snow, ice, and everything that comes with winter weather.
1. Locate your air conditioner circuit, open the lid, and turn off the power. By turning off the power, you’ll prevent the unit from clicking on if there’s an unexpected warm winter day.
2. Remove any debris from the unit. Also clear a few feet around the unit. This includes leaves, twigs, and dirt. Use a garden hose to spray debris off your unit.
3. Install rubber pipe insulation or tubular foam pipe covers to protect pipes from freezing. Then, cover the AC unit with an air conditioner cover or tarp. Use bungee cords to secure the cover.
If you don’t cover it, water can get in the unit and freeze as cold conditions continue.
Throughout the winter remove ice, snow, water, leaves, and other debris off the unit.
You have two options for getting your window air conditioner ready for winter. First, you can take the air conditioning unit out and store it inside. Your second option is to leave it and shield it from the elements with an air conditioner cover.
If you deal with harsh winters, it’s best to bring your unit inside. If you choose to do so, you’ll need to know how to store it.
1. Carefully remove the unit from your window. Window air conditioners can be quite heavy, so it’s best to have someone give you a hand lifting it.
2. Make sure you get rid of any debris gathered on the unit, especially leaves and dirt. You’ll then need to clean the coils.
The cooling coils are in the front part that face inside your house. Remove the front grill and the filters to reach the cooling coils. Using a screwdriver, remove the back cover to get to the heating coils.
3. Using soap and hot water, scrub both sets of coils to clean up any debris. If the back of your air conditioner can’t be removed, you can use a garden hose to carefully spray it off.
Tip the air conditioner on its side to drain and dry completely. As it dries, clean off the filters with a soft brush, soap, and water.
This is also a great time to replace old, tough-to-clean filters to improve air quality.
4. Once you’ve put the unit back together, it’s time to store it. If you removed it, cover it with a sheet or canvas drop cloth for extra protection. Store it somewhere warm, dry, and off the ground.
If you left your unit in the window, cover it with an air conditioner cover or a sturdy plastic tarp. If you use a tarp, secure it with bungee cords.
To prevent cold air from leaking into your home along the edge gaps, install weather stripping on the outside edge of the windows.
For more guides and how tos for around the home, check out our Tools & DIY Blog.
