Sealed inside an air conditioning unit is a chemical, called a refrigerant, that is converted into four different states in the unit: low pressure gas, high pressure gas, low pressure liquid and high pressure liquid. To function efficiently, the system must have a certain charge of refrigerant and must not have any contaminants within the chemical.

Air conditioning systems operate at pressures over the level of atmospheric pressure, so any small leak in the system will allow some refrigerant to escape and cause a failure in the system. Therefore, you need to regularly check your unit for leaks, even small ones.

As well as checking for leaks, you also need to regularly clean the filter in your air conditioner. This should be done at least monthly. What the filter looks like, and where it is located, will depend on the type of air conditioning unit that you have. If you have a central air conditioning unit, the filter will be made of rubber and will be located on the top or bottom of the unit, depending on the type of model that you buy. If you have a window type air conditioning unit, then the filter will be a thin mesh screen and will be located near to the intake of the unit. It is important to switch off your air conditioning at the main circuit breaker before attempting to take out the filter. Having removed it, you should let it soak in warm, soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes, and then leave it to one side to dry out. If you put it back in the air conditioning unit before it has fully dried out then it is possible that mold may build up on it.

For window type air conditioning unit filters, you can also use a vacuum cleaner on it. It is advisable to hire a qualified technician for extra air conditioning maintenance every twelve to eighteen months, as they can give you a better idea about the efficiency levels of your unit and what work needs doing to enable it to operate more effectively. This could be either in the form of cleaning the mechanical parts of the compressor system, or re-gassing the refrigerant. This should not be too costly, and it will certainly cost you less than having to buy a whole new air conditioner due to not properly maintaining your current one.

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