It takes more workers to clean the exterior and condenser coils than clean the interior of the unit. Your system's constant exposure to the elements causes this part to become very dirty. In addition, you'll need special equipment to clean it. Maintaining your outdoor unit is as simple as following these steps.
Once again, make sure the power is off. If you do not want to begin until your power is off, you can turn it off at the external disconnect box.
On the top of the unit, remove the sheet metal screw. Remove the fan and grille and lift them up as soon as you have done so. Wires in most units are slack enough that they can be leaning against a wall from top to bottom without being disconnected.
In the bottom of your air conditioner, there will be different amounts of debris depending on the model. A lower fan pan is likely to contain leaves, seeds, or small twigs if your fan has no guards to prevent debris from entering.
You can scoop out the debris by hand, or you can use your wet/dry vacuum to get it out.
Learning to clean an AC condenser coil is simple. For coil cleaning, you will need a solution available at home improvement stores. Note that the condenser coil cleaner is extremely caustic and may cause burns. Smoke is also dangerous, so you should not use this cleaner on coils inside your home.
Mix or dilute your cleaning solution according to directions, and add it to your pump sprayer. Spray it on the coils. You can wash it off with your hose after it foams up in a few minutes.
Avoid pressure washers now. Feathers are somewhat fragile, and pressure can easily damage them.
