Things Get Dirty

AlittleSalt · August 11, 2017

Over my life, I have seen so many people throw away products that quit working right. Then they go out and buy a new one.

Even when we did have extra money, I wouldn't give up on things. Just take them apart and see if they're too dirty to work right. Often times, an air compressor with a blow nozzle, a vacuum, or a water hose will clean things up just fine. Then dry it out and put it back together. Plug it back in and it works again.

This morning, my wife wakes me up around 5am. "Honey, the floor is wet!"
It was the window unit air conditioner leaking condensation inside the house. The, "Oh no it's broken approach" would have cost us around $350 to buy a new AC, and then rent a machine to dry the carpet - or pay someone to do it...it would have added up to around $500.

Everything about the AC looked right. The front cover is clean. The filter is clean. The coils look clean. The AC has a slight slant down away from the house...etc. Nothing looks wrong, and it is still blowing good cold air.

My son and I took the AC out of the window. Took the cage off and what I couldn't see before - was dirty. There was dirt and leaves stopping it up. I took a water hose after it and washed the inside and outside coils. They were dirty too - you just couldn't see it until taking a water hose after it.

After cleaning it out, we let it dry out some - put it back in the window - plugged it in and turned it on. Good cold air is flowing again without leaking condensation inside the house.

For the wet floor/carpet - I've got a large high velocity shop fan drying it. (A fan you can feel air movement 40' away.) Total cost = maybe a dollar or two for water and electricity. We might have to use one of those carpet shampoo machines for the carpet, but I doubt it.

Things get dirty in places you can't see without taking it apart. Cleaning them can save you a lot of money. If it had been the compressor went out or a short in the wiring that would have been another story.

August 11, 2017	#1
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Things Get Dirty Over my life, I have seen so many people throw away products that quit working right. Then they go out and buy a new one. Even when we did have extra money, I wouldn't give up on things. Just take them apart and see if they're too dirty to work right. Often times, an air compressor with a blow nozzle, a vacuum, or a water hose will clean things up just fine. Then dry it out and put it back together. Plug it back in and it works again. This morning, my wife wakes me up around 5am. "Honey, the floor is wet!" It was the window unit air conditioner leaking condensation inside the house. The, "Oh no it's broken approach" would have cost us around $350 to buy a new AC, and then rent a machine to dry the carpet - or pay someone to do it...it would have added up to around $500. Everything about the AC looked right. The front cover is clean. The filter is clean. The coils look clean. The AC has a slight slant down away from the house...etc. Nothing looks wrong, and it is still blowing good cold air. My son and I took the AC out of the window. Took the cage off and what I couldn't see before - was dirty. There was dirt and leaves stopping it up. I took a water hose after it and washed the inside and outside coils. They were dirty too - you just couldn't see it until taking a water hose after it. After cleaning it out, we let it dry out some - put it back in the window - plugged it in and turned it on. Good cold air is flowing again without leaking condensation inside the house. For the wet floor/carpet - I've got a large high velocity shop fan drying it. (A fan you can feel air movement 40' away.) Total cost = maybe a dollar or two for water and electricity. We might have to use one of those carpet shampoo machines for the carpet, but I doubt it. Things get dirty in places you can't see without taking it apart. Cleaning them can save you a lot of money. If it had been the compressor went out or a short in the wiring that would have been another story.