Maintaining your air conditioner gives you several benefits, and more so when you don't have to spend as much money on repairs. Also, an efficient system does not have to run constantly to keep your indoors comfortable; hence, you will spend less on power bills. As a homeowner, you need to learn a few maintenance hacks and tricks that will boost your AC's performance. Here are four recommended steps. 

Cleaning the AC's Coils

The first step to cleaning your coils is switching off the power supply to your AC system. It is dangerous to try and work on an AC unit while still plugged into the power supply. So you should turn the power off first after which you can start the cleaning process. The evaporator and condenser coils tend to accumulate more dirt than any other part of the system. Dirt reduces the surface area, which makes your unit less efficient in heat absorption. Cleaning the coil helps you restore the effectiveness of the heat exchange process between the unit and your indoors. 

Clean and Straighten the Fins to the Coils

The AC evaporator has aluminum fins that are a crucial component of the coil. You can use the brush attachment of a regular vacuum cleaner to remove any gunk that might have accumulated on the fins. Avoid the temptation to use a power cleaner because it can bend the fins and cause irreversible damage. You want to make sure that you straighten any bent fins before they start blocking the flow of air through the system. 

Clean the Area Around the Unit

What happens around the unit also affects its effectiveness. If the area around is full of dry leaves and other debris, remove them to maintain cleanliness. Create a significant clearing all around the unit for best results. Also, cover the top of your unit during winter or when not in use to protect it from accumulating falling leaves and debris. 

Level the Unit

Leveling the unit is another simple hack that will lengthen the life of your AC equipment. If your unit is sitting in an awkward position, the compressor will fail. You can use rot-resistant shims to create a level ground to allow your unit to operate optimally. 

These are a few crucial maintenance measures for your air conditioning unit. Remember, you can get a trained AC technician to address the maintenance tasks you can't handle all by yourself. To learn more about air conditioning maintenance, click here to investigate or check out similar websites.