The summer has arrived and there’s no doubt every AC in Dubai will be working hard over the next few months.

But the question is – have you been giving your unit the love and attention it deserves?

While air conditioning has been keeping your home cool, it’s up to you to take care of it too. That means some good maintenance, and when it comes to AC, there’s a lot of things people don’t know about.

If you like reading this: The secret to a cheaper AC bill? Set it to this temperature

To understand the secrets of a happy AC unit, Time Out Dubai spoke to AC expert and Breathe General Manager Thomas Speed to learn what to check, and how good maintenance can be cost-effective.

You should have your AC in Dubai serviced 3 times per year

That’s right, you should be having your air conditioning looked over around every four months to give it a once over.

However, Speed told Time Out Dubai there is a more intense clean that needs to be completed to ensure the most important parts of your unit are working correctly:

“A service only really consists of cleaning the mesh filters, and this should be done a minimum 3 times a year.

“A correct coil and duct clean would last the best parts of a year to 18 months depending on usage, but kitchen, living room, master bedroom, coils and ducts may need cleaning every 12 months and no longer.”

Your AC can grow mould and bacteria

If summer humidity is able to get inside your AC in Dubai, it can cause mould and bacteria in certain temperatures.

One way to combat this is to ensure your AC is not completely switched off for long periods of time, for example, if you go on a summer holiday for a few weeks.

Keeping your unit clean is also important, however Speed stressed that you should leave cleaning the inside parts of your AC to the experts.

He said: “Checking anything in your AC unit should always be left to the professionals, however a very easy check for you to make is the level of dust building up on your flow and return vents that are situated within the ceiling or upper walls.

“Once you have a build-up of dust and dirt on your vents, you can be positive that the insides of the ducting and the exterior of your coils are in an even worse condition and you have simply left it too long for a clean.”

A regular AC check can save you money

It’s important to know that not only can a maintained AC have a better impact on your health, but your bank balance too. Keeping an eye on its condition is key to less regular part replacements, or an entire refit.

Speed added: “If you are regularly maintaining and servicing your AC you are always aware of its condition, and you can more often than not stop a problem before it even becomes one.

“This further allows the AC system to run efficiently not adding any additional stress onto other connecting parts, saving money on replacements and energy bills, and extending the lifespan of your units.”

Now you know about your AC, this is how to prepare for summer

Firstly, the experts recommend not leaving your system to be checked until the summer. Make sure you get it serviced in the cooler months too, to ensure all parts don’t need replacing when the heat hits.

Secondly, prepare your maintenance appointments and services well in advance, so you are not caught out in the summer with a faulty AC in Dubai, and no one available to fix it.

Finally, if you’re looking to save a little money over the warmer months, check out our guide on the best AC temperature and other methods to keep the bills low in summer.

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