Minisplit Maintenance – Simple but Necessary

What is a Minisplit?

A minisplit is a ductless heating and cooling system mounted to a wall and connected to an outside compressor unit. It’s main advantage is that it does not require the ducting that a central AC or heating system does, making it easier to install in hard to reach areas; garages, home offices, workshops, older construction, etc. See our detailed article about minisplits here.

 What about maintenance?

Minisplits are very low maintenance units, and total cost of ownership is low, after the initial investment. There are not a lot of parts to replace in a minisplit unit, and it is controlled by circuit boards in the top of the unit which rarely fail. However, there is some specific periodic maintenance required to keep your system running smoothly and at optimum performance. This also has a positive effect on the longevity of your system.

At Advantage Home Performance, we recommend the following practices.

Yearly Maintenance

When we perform yearly maintenance on a minisplit system, this is typically what we do:

1. Hose out the aluminum condenser coils they need to stay clean to operate efficiently.
2. Tighten the high-voltage electrical connections inside the disconnect boxes. A poor connection can cause problems for your unit, so it’s important they are checked yearly.
3. Check refrigerant charges. It’s important to make sure that the proper amount of refrigerant is inside the unit. Proper levels can prove that a leak has not developed.
4. Take hand draws on the compressor and fan motor to make sure their output is within manufacturer specifications. If specifications are not met, we recommend component replacement to prevent damage to other parts of the unit.

Here’s Jeff from Advantage Home Performance, talking about these points.

Minisplit Filter Cleaning

You should clean your minisplit filters every 2 – 3 months. Here are some simple instructions:

1. Hold both bottom corners of your minisplit and lift up on the cover door.  Move it all the way up so that it will stay open on its own hinges.
2. Slide out the filters in a downward motion.
3. Use a blower and blow them off completely. We do not recommend using water to clean them as they should remain dry.
4. Once clean, lock in the bottom edges inside the frame of the minisplit unit.
5. Now that your cleaned filters are installed, holding the both corners of the door, move it back downward to close it.

Click here to play our instructional video.

Yearly maintenance of your minisplit system, coupled with a filter cleaning every 2 – 3 months will keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.  To schedule a maintenance visit or for more information or questions about your unit, please contact us.