How To Winterize A Window Air Conditioner
Posted on: 1 August 2017
Window air conditioners provide an affordable and easy to install cooling solution to your home when larger air conditioning systems are impractical to install. However, just like all other types of air conditioners, window units need to be properly winterized to ensure that they do not become damaged by freezing winter temperatures. Thankfully, winterizing your window air conditioner unit is a fairly straightforward process:
What You'll Need
You'll need a screwdriver, lint free cloths, replacement air filters, a soft bristled brush, a bucket, common cleaning detergent, bungee cords, and a plastic tarp large enough to wrap your air conditioning unit in. All of these items can be purchased at most hardware stores if you don't already own them. In addition, depending on the size of your unit, you may need someone to help you carry it.
Winterizing a Window Air Conditioner
The first thing that you need to do when winterizing your unit is to turn it off and unplug it from its power source to make it safe to work on.
Next, you'll want to open the unit up to clean it out. You can do this by removing the front cover of the unit (either by hand or with a screwdriver, depending on how it is attached). Then, use the brush with a slight amount of soapy water to scrub away at any built up dust and dirt on the interior of the air conditioner, paying particular attention to the cooling coils.
Once the dirt has been removed, you'll want to use a clean cloth to wipe away any remaining moisture within the unit to prevent mold and mildew growth and potential water damage.
You should then open up the air filter casing, which can be unclipped by hand in most cases, and remove the filters within. Your air conditioner can use either a disposable or washable filter: disposable filters can be simply thrown out and replaced with a new filter, while washable filters need to be scrubbed by hand in a bucket of warm soapy water and allowed to completely dry before being reinstalled. If you don't know what type of filter your unit uses, take the old one to a hardware store to match it to a replacement.
Finally, you need to collapse the folding side panels that seal your window, if they're installed, lift the air conditioner out of the window frame and onto the tarp. Ensure that you have someone helping you lift to prevent injury to yourself or damage to the unit. Wrap the entirety of the AC unit in the tarp, and secure it in place using the bungee cords. This will prevent the unit from becoming damaged while it is in storage. Then, all you have to do is close your window and move your wrapped AC unit to an out of the way place until the summer months roll around again.
Share