Those devices absolutely need regular cleaning, because they will get moldy and will spew dirty air everywhere.
this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2025
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This is why HVAC companies tell you that you need to have maintenance performed on them once a year on each system. That’s not an upsell that’s to maintain the warranty as they literally wont run as well year over year without cleaning and will half the life of your expensive system.
Still feels like an upsell. Just take a hose and spray down the coils and/or vacuum.
Be careful hosing it down or scrubbing it. Those radiator fins are delicate and shouldn't be bent or broken.
I won't say don't do it because I dunno, its probably fine. But watch a how to video or read up on it first. Just don't put a firehose on it.
No one is telling you to power wash or scrub. If you rinse it often enough you’ll be fine. If a hose ain’t doing it for you, you are better off getting an HVAC tech to use their special cleaner that is only sold to HVAC techs
No one is telling you to power wash or scrub
No, but some people get some carried away ideas when they hear "clean that machine".
Lol
If you know what you're doing, then sure. I do not. I know too many stories of people who attacked delicate machinery with their good ideas and then got all surprised when it afterwards functioned worse, and not better.
Don’t. It’s a good way to get mold, and the AC blowing the unhealthy spores around the house.
Any decent AC maintenance company uses special gear and likely those cleaning foams that minimises this risk.
I don't think anyone is suggesting you take a hose to your indoor units. How on Earth you would contain the splashback is anyone's guess.
Use your hose on the outdoor unit. I use compressed air on the indoor ones, like OP. You can buy the cleaning foam stuff, too. Probably from whoever made your split system, in fact. I've never found it to be necessary, though.
Use your hose on the outdoor unit. I use compressed air on the indoor ones, like OP.
I mean, I guess that would work, but why wouldn't you use a vacuum cleaner? I mean, if you're hitting it with compressed air, now all the dust is all over the room.
Compressed air combined with a vacuum cleaner to capture what the compressed air blows loose.
It's impossible to get a vacuum in all the nooks and crannies. Especially between the fins. Compressed air is pretty much the only option.
Yeah. Just prepare for dust. Wear a mask, open a window...
Are you suggesting you hose down an indoor unit?
No, I think I misunderstood.
What I was trying to say: I think there are good reasons for having professionals clean your AC.
I got around to cleaning our outside unit last year, and didn't think it would be a big deal as it looked pretty clean at a glance. Once I got the sheet metal off and started looking and spraying, good lord it was filthy. Now that it is near new again inside, I plan to just take the top off every year and do a regular rinse to keep that buildup down. I can't say how much better it works now from numbers, but it has to exchange heat far more now than before from the sheer gunk I took off.