The Fall Cleaning Task That Can Help Your Mini Split Run Better All Winter

Modern mini splits are typically powerful enough to get you through the winter. However, the system will inevitably have to work harder to battle the decreased amount of ambient heat to keep your home at a comfy temperature. So, you should do everything in your power to prepare it for the cold months, and no, it's not covering your HVAC's outside unit. Rather, a simple, routine cleanup job you should do in fall will make sure your unit delivers the best performance once the temperatures plummet.

If your mini split was on around the clock during the summer, chances are there's already a great deal of dirt caking its interiors. All that gunk will reduce the airflow in your system and significantly tank your heating efficiency. Start by cleaning or replacing the filter. This is easy enough for most homeowners, as a vacuum cleaner or a damp rag dipped in a bit of soapy water will suffice. It's simple, but it will do wonders for both the efficiency and the overall indoor air quality. Then, focus on the outside unit and make sure you clear away any debris that may have built up during the summer and fall, including any dust or leaves. Finally, you can learn how to clean your AC's coils. Just power off the unit, remove the condenser's cover, and get rid of any built-up dust from the coil with a soft brush. You can apply a specialized coil cleaner, wait for it to do its magic, and rinse it out of the coils.

You can do the fall cleaning yourself, and you get bonus points for learning how to maintain the unit. Still, it doesn't hurt to have your AC professionally serviced once a year at the very least. That way, your DIY cleaning jobs are there to optimize the unit's performance in between maintenance calls. Ultimately, it all depends on how often you run your mini split. If it's on 24/7 during the summer and you also use it for heating in the winter, then it may be wise to do two annual appointments, one before the cooling season and one before the heating season.

Keeping your system clean will minimize strain on various components, which will directly reflect in the unit's overall lifespan. That said, you can only do so much. When a professional arrives at your home for maintenance, they won't stop at cleaning. They may also adjust some of the components, and the whole service will also provide them the opportunity to catch any developing issues early or replace worn-out parts. Prevention is better than cure in most cases, especially considering that it's much cheaper to have the mini split maintained more frequently than cashing out a lump sum for a larger emergency repair.