How Do You Clean Window Air Conditioner Coils?

How Do You Clean Window Air Conditioner Coils?

How Do You Clean Window Air Conditioner Coils?

Scrub the coils gently with a soft brush. Clean the area between the coil fins with a coil comb. You can also make your own window air conditioner cleaner or use a commercial coil cleaner. In a spray bottle, combine a mild detergent and warm water for a homemade cleaner. 

Window air conditioner coils often become dirty and require a specific cleaning process in order to restore their efficiency.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Locate the window air conditioner unit: The coils can be found in the back of the unit. They are located near the airflow of the unit. Make sure to turn off your window air conditioner before beginning this process.
2. Open the window and remove the cover: Take off the cover of your unit. Remove the filter: you can use a vacuum cleaner for this process.
3. Unplug the unit: This is a very important step. Make sure that the power is off before you start cleaning.
4. Remove the coil: First, remove the screws from the sides of the unit. Then, remove the plug from the air conditioner. Lift up each side and clean between the coils with a water hose. Use a spray cleaner or a mixture made out of water and soap to wash off all dirt and dust.
5. Clean the coil using a vacuum cleaner with the hose attachment. Be sure to use a cleaner specifically designed for window air conditioners.
6. Wipe the coil clean with a cloth: It is especially important to remove the dust and dirt from the area between the fins of the coils.
7. Replace the coil and plug the unit in Replace the wires, and screws and plug them back into the unit.
8. Clean the filter of your window air conditioner: You can replace or clean the filter with a cloth moistened with water and mild alcohol.

Can A Window Air Conditioner Explode?

No. The explosion of an air conditioner (AC) compressor is a rare occurrence, and immediate death as a result of the blast effect has not been documented in the forensic literature.

We present three such cases in which young air conditioning mechanics were killed on the spot by a compressor blast while repairing a domestic split air conditioner.

The air conditioning compressor is a heavy-duty motor unit that relies on a liquid refrigerant with low solubility in the air to absorb heat and convert it into mechanical work for driving the fan. The liquid system does not boil until a critical surface temperature is reached, typically about 90 °C (194 °F).

At that temperature, the compression of vaporized liquid refrigerant results from a rapid increase in pressure and produces an intense explosion of substantial forces at the surface as well as at any nearby departure point.

The case reports are based on the presentation of reliable and precious forensic evidence, including the victims’ remains, the pieces of metal (pipes, panels) that were torn off during or after the blast, and in one case, a partially melted thermocouple.

The firm conclusions drawn from this evidence establish beyond reasonable doubt that these deaths occurred due to compressor explosions; it is possible to provide a number of factors that are described in this article, such as aging and defective air conditioning components (compressor, condenser), which could have caused an explosion.

This report offers a conclusion for those who do not have experience working on air conditioning units. It is not safe to directly open the air conditioning unit and touch it while working on an air conditioner.