How should I maintain my air conditioning system?
I can't recall having seen an item in your column about how air con should be maintained, for example how often re-gassed, de-odorised etc. Could you please advise? Will I get a better deal mid-winter to have any work done or will all the offers come in spring?
Aircon self-maintains. Every time you have it on the lubricants suspended in the refrigerant are pumped around the system and help to keep the seals gas tight. So it's best to run it for at least 10 minutes every week right through the winter, then promptly run it at maximum heat to evaporate off any condensation that forms in the trunking. If it loses gas, it needs to be re-gassed, and that is what aircon 'maintenance' usually is. They extract the gas, weigh it, then replace it with the correct amount. If that doesn't work, they add a dye to find out which seals it is leaking from. If something fails, like the compressor, it may need a new clutch. A condenser could get holed by a stone. More here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/air-conditioning/
Answered by Honest John on
