As DOST-PAGASA gives us an early warning on El Niño through the first half of 2027, this is the right time for Filipino households to prepare for extended stretches of intense dry heat. Your AC will surely have to work harder to cool your space, but a little preventive care goes a long way to protect your appliance and budget! We’re Teko.ph, the largest aircon, appliance, and computer services provider in the Philippines, with 5 aircon maintenance tips.
Aircon Maintenance Tips Before El Niño Hits
1. Give the Outdoor Unit Breathing Room
Although outdoor AC units are made to withstand extreme heat or heavy rains, did you know that it’s responsible for releasing all the heat extracted from inside your room? If the condenser fins are covered in dirt, blocked by garden plants, or surrounded by stored boxes, heat gets trapped inside the system. Your suffocated outdoor unit can easily overheat and trip your circuit breaker!
To avoid this, keep at least two feet of clear space around your outdoor unit. Gently sweep away dried leaves, trash, or dust buildup around the exterior casing so air can circulate freely.
2. Schedule a Professional Aircon Maintenance Service
Cleaning your aircon filter at home is great for routine care, but it only tackles surface dust. Over months of heavy use, mold and stubborn dirt build up deep inside the cooling coils, blower wheel, and drainage lines.
A dirty internal coil acts like insulation, preventing the refrigerant from absorbing heat efficiently. Clogged drain pipes can also cause annoying indoor water leaks that damage your walls and wooden floors.
So before peak heat sets in, schedule a thorough aircon cleaning session with a certified technician. A professional will wash the internal evaporator coils, flush out the drain lines, check pressure levels, and ensure all electrical wiring is safe and secure.
During El Niño: Aircon Maintenance & Efficiency Tips
3. Clean or Replace Your Air Filters Regularly
Your aircon’s filter traps dust, fur, and other household debris so you can breathe clean air inside your home. During dry and dusty weather cycles, these filters get clogged with dust much faster than usual. So this restricts airflow, forces the compressor to work overtime, and inflates your monthly power bill.
To clean your aircon filter, pop open the front panel of your indoor unit, pull out the mesh filters, rinse them under warm tap water, and let them dry completely in the shade. It takes less than ten minutes, but it makes an immediate difference in cooling power! Make sure to clean your aircon filters every month.
4. Optimize Your Thermostat & Fan Settings
When you walk into a hot room, it’s tempting to grab the remote and blast the temperature down to 16°C. But always remember: setting your aircon to a low temperature doesn’t make it cool the room any faster, and it just forces the compressor to run continuously without taking a break.
During warm days, set your thermostat to a comfortable 23°C to 25°C and also turn your electric fan or ceiling fan on. This helps circulate the chilled air evenly across the room, creating a wind-chill effect without draining extra power.
5. Keep the Heat Outside Your Room
Your aircon will work harder and consume more energy if hot outdoor air keeps sneaking into your room. Sunlight streaming directly through unshaded windows can raise indoor temperatures by several degrees, forcing your unit to work double shifts.
Be sure to install black-out curtains or heavy blinds to block direct sunlight. Also, check the rubber seals around your doors and windows for gaps or draughts where cool air might leak out or hot air might seep in. Placing a simple door draft stopper under your bedroom door keeps the cold air right where it belongs. And of course, if possible, avoid using heat-generating appliances inside the room with aircon.
Stay Cool with Teko.ph Aircon Maintenance Services
Don’t wait for your aircon to start blowing warm air in the middle of a hot afternoon! Taking proactive care of your appliance keeps your home comfortable, protects your electricity budget, and extends the lifespan of your unit.
When it’s time for professional aircon maintenance and cleaning, safety check, or repair, leave the hard work to Teko.ph! You may simply book a home aircon maintenance service across Metro Manila and nearby provinces (including Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal). Visit Teko.ph today to book your certified aircon cleaning or maintenance service in just a few clicks.
