You need to care for your air conditioner properly in order to keep it running efficiently, to help extend it's life, and to minimize maintenance issues. Most people take good care of their air conditioner in summer when they use it most, but what about in the winter? Your air conditioner needs to be properly cared for in the winter months as well. See below for care and maintenance tips for your air conditioner in winter.

Clean Your Unit

Fall is when your trees lose leaves, and small branches and other foliage fall everywhere. Your air conditioner is the perfect hiding place for these small twigs and leaves. Towards the end of fall, be sure to clean out your unit. To do this, disconnect the power to your unit with the switch, usually located on your house near your unit. Then take the screws out of the lid of your unit and take the lid off (being careful with the wires that are still connected inside the motor in the lid). Then you can reach inside of your air conditioner and take out any loose debris. Spray your unit down with a garden hose gently from the inside out so you don't get water in the motor. Spraying water will also remove bird droppings and other stubborn debris from the air conditioner.

Protect Exposed Pipes

If your unit has any exposed pipes coming off of the back and into the house, wrap them with foam pipe covers. If your unit has these foam pipe covers already, just check them to be sure they aren't split or damaged. If any are damaged, replace them with new ones. Tape them with electrical tape or use a zip-tie to hold them properly in place. The foam covers help to protect your pipes from freezing in the cold winter months.

Cover Your Unit

Be sure to cover your air conditioning unit with a vinyl cover or a small tarp. Hold the cover in place by wrapping the unit with bungee cords. The tarp will help protect your unit from debris during winter, as well as snow and ice. Check the cover once per week to be sure it's still in place and that the unit isn't damaged. Remove snow and ice from the cover, as well as ice or snow that could fall from above the unit.cYou can add a small piece of plywood (the same size as your unit) to the top of your unit to help prevent damage as well.

Taking care of your air conditioner is not just a seasonal job, it's a year-round job. Be sure to take good care of your unit to ensure it will work year after year without fail. If you do need repairs for your air conditioner, speak with a heating and cooling repair professional.