Agree that air conditioning is an essential attribute of any modern room. The service life of air cooling systems directly depends on the quality and regularity of their maintenance. This golden rule applies not only to summer time, but also to the period of severe frosts.
In order for the air conditioner to serve you faithfully for as long as possible, you need to properly monitor it. Take into account the subtleties of the operation of climate equipment in the winter.
So how to start the air conditioner after the winter and do you need to take care of it during sub-zero temperatures? We will try to give detailed answers to these and other questions in our article.
The content of the article:
-
Rules for turning on the air conditioner after winter
- Ambient temperature
- Cleaning and maintenance
- Freon and pressure check
- General health check
- Top 5 Tips for Starting Your Air Conditioner
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Rules for turning on the air conditioner after winter
In order for your climate equipment to last as long as possible, you need to follow the advice of manufacturers and carry out regular preventive maintenance and
maintenance of air conditioning equipment.Prevention, in this case, means cleaning, proper operation in the summer season, compliance with the basic temperature parameters and timely refilling of the air conditioner with freon.
Compliance with simple, but very important rules will help you extend the life and proper operation of your climate control equipment. Carefully monitor the condition of the air conditioner, and it will serve you faithfully for many years.
The main question that worries many users of climate technology is how to make the air conditioner last for a long time and how to turn it on after the winter. To do this, you will have to follow a few recommendations, the observance of which will help extend the life of the equipment.
Ambient temperature
The operating manual for climate equipment always contains comprehensive information about the basic rules for using equipment. The permissible outdoor temperature limits, at which you can turn on the air conditioner without compromising its performance, depend on the design features of the system itself.
At the moment, manufacturers produce climate equipment that can absolutely fully heat the room even at extremely low outside temperatures. Such air conditioners are often used in large enterprises, country villas, hotels.
Their price is much higher than the average household appliances, however, they fully pay for themselves and are able to warm the air in the room faster than other electrical appliances.
In no case do not turn on the air conditioner at sub-zero temperatures. This can lead to the complete failure of your air conditioning equipment.
Domestic air conditioners, for the most part, are also used for heating. But, of course, at much lower temperatures. The average temperature for their safe use is from +3 to -5 °С.
Often, air conditioners are used for warm air during the so-called "off-season" - when it got noticeably colder outside, and the central heating had not yet been turned on. In winter, air conditioning, which is not designed for frost, is absolutely impossible to turn on.
Cleaning and maintenance
The part of the air conditioner that we see is just its outer side. In fact, the design of climate technology is much more complex and consists of dozens of small systems and spare parts.
Long-term operation of the device leads to the accumulation of a large amount of dust in the indoor unit and filters. This is what, most often, leads to a breakdown of the system or its defective operation.
The air conditioner should be cleaned regularly (at least once a year). Due to the fact that the design of climate control equipment is rather complicated, then during its preventive cleaning it is better resort to the services of specialists, but if you have confidence in your own abilities, maintenance of equipment can be done on one's own.
Regular cleaning will help you prevent unwanted breakdowns of the air conditioner at the most inopportune moment! Take care of your air conditioning equipment correctly and in a timely manner
You can also clean the indoor unit yourself.
It's very simple:
- open the front cover of the unit;
- remove the filter screens from there;
- rinse thoroughly, vacuum and dry them;
- replace the filters and return the cover to its original position.
It is advisable to perform this procedure at least twice a month. Cleaning the filters will give you complete confidence that along with the air flow, you will not inhale the dust that accumulates in the air filtration nets.
If you do not clean the system in a timely manner, then it will either completely fail or start to work incorrectly.
Freon and pressure check
The main source of operability and full functioning, both in cooling mode and heating, is freon - a special gas, thanks to which air conditioning systems work and refrigerators.
Due to the design features of climate control equipment, there is an insignificant but regular leakage - on average - 20% per year. This does not mean at all that you need to call the master and refuel your device monthly - it is enough to replenish freon reserves before each summer season.
It is categorically not recommended to do this on your own, because. only a qualified person can reliably measure the pressure and amount of gas in the air conditioner. This requires special equipment and extensive experience in the field. split system filling stations.
Regular charging of refrigerant is the key to the correct and long-term operation of your climate control equipment. As soon as you have suspicions about a lack of freon or its leakage, call the master
In addition, it is important to understand that freon not only needs to be regularly refueled, but also completely released from the system and refilled. This procedure, fortunately, is not necessary annually, but every few years.
A competent master himself will offer this service if it is needed. Freon charging is the first step to take before the start of the summer season.
General health check
Before starting the air conditioning equipment after a downtime during the frost period, a general check of its performance should be carried out.
General verification includes the following measures:
- Delta T temperature analysis;
- checking device performance.
Temperature delta T is an indicator of what air is leaving the air conditioner grille. It is calculated and measured quite simply, so absolutely anyone can do it.
We measure the temperature of the air entering the device and the temperature of the outlet, subtract. The indicator that you got is the Delta T of temperature.
Normally, a normally functioning device produces from - 6 to - 11 ° C. Deviations from these standards indicate the incorrect operation of the air conditioner and the need to call the master.
Trust your equipment only to qualified craftsmen - they will help extend the life of your air conditioner! A competent master will always point out the problem areas of the device, help not only eliminate breakdowns, but also prevent them
The functionality of the compressor, the contacts and their degree of oxidation, can only be checked by a professional, and, most often, this option is included in the cost of cleaning the system. But, just in case, ask him to assess the condition of the electronics.
The air that comes out of the air conditioner grilles should be cold - this is clear to everyone, however, the exact temperature readings can tell a lot about the health of the device.
Top 5 Tips for Starting Your Air Conditioner
All the necessary information for owners of household air conditioners fits in just five simple rules:
- Do not turn on the air conditioner without first cleaning the system and filters. During the winter, a lot of leaves, small debris, small branches, dirt and dust could accumulate in the block. All this can cause enormous harm to the system and your health. During the season, you can independently clean the surface of the outdoor unit. But do not forget that it is not advisable to turn on the air conditioner immediately after cleaning - let it dry completely.
- Before you start the climate equipment, make sure that the pressure in the system is sufficient and fill the right amount of freon. Otherwise, there is a risk of being left without an air conditioner during the peak of the summer heat.
- Make sure that when you turn on the air conditioner, the temperature outside is not lower than 0 °C. If you start the device at a lower temperature, then you risk, at best, a compressor breakdown, and at worst, the failure of several spare parts at once.
- Regularly check the performance of your device - measure the Delta T temperature, evaluate the condition of the electronics and make sure that the remote control is working. When all of the above steps have been taken, check several modes and options (heat, cold, curtains, ionization function, etc.). During operation, regularly monitor the device and, if the smallest signs of a malfunction appear, do not hesitate to call the wizard.
- Make sure that there are no objects near the outdoor unit to obstruct the airflow from the outdoor unit. Also, you should carefully examine its integrity. Often this element of the system is deformed by hail, heavy precipitation or icing.
This short briefing on the correct operation and maintenance of split systems will help you not to miss anything in the process of preparing your climate equipment for the summer season.
In addition, following these simple rules for the care of equipment will extend the life of the air conditioner.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
All about how to properly turn on the air conditioner for heating:
Basic rules for the care of the air conditioner:
Air conditioners are a huge blessing in the modern world. Many people now cannot even imagine their lives without these devices, especially in hot weather. But, like all electrical appliances, climate control equipment needs regular maintenance and proper operation.
You can ask a question on the topic of the article or share useful information regarding the use of climate technology after a period of winter downtime. Leave your comments in the box below.
