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Keeping Cool: Maintaining Your Air Conditioner

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — FOX 17 caught up with Jason Smith with West Michigan Heating and Cooling while he was servicing air conditioners.

“These are units that regular homes would have. This is a smaller commercial building,” Smith said.

He pointed out one particular unit with debris on it. “You’ve got a lack of airflow coming across the coil,” he explained.

Cottonwood, dandelions, or any type of debris gets sucked into the coils. That blocks air from entering the air conditioning unit and minimizes the unit’s effectiveness at cooling the home or business. Smith said that dilemma is known as ‘undercooling’. He said it can be a quick fix, without calling a technician.

“If you’re to go and take a normal garden hose or paint bush across there, you can remove it. just as long as you use something gentle, something a typical homeowner can do,” he said.

Smith added, “If you see any debris that’s on that air conditioner. feel free to take a hose to it. they’re weather proof. don’t go after it with a power washer, but a regular garden hose just to clean it off. if it looks clean, it’s gonna breathe better.”

Cleaning out your furnace filter is just as important. Blockage of that filter can also cause ‘undercooling,’ Smith said.