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Fall has officially arrived, and with the cooler air (in most states) comes a fresh round of seasonal chores. Outdoor furniture gets covered up, sweaters come out of storage, and your window air conditioner needs to come out of the window. If that last task isn’t on your list, it should be.
According to Josh Mitchell, an HVAC technician and owner of Air Conditioner Lab, a site that helps consumers get information on HVAC issues, leaving your unit in place all winter can shorten its lifespan. But simply yanking it out and tucking it into a closet isn’t the answer either. Cleaning it and storing it the right way, Mitchell says, helps ensure it’s ready to perform when hot weather returns.
To help you take down, clean and store your air conditioner properly, I asked HVAC experts for their best advice. Here’s what they recommend.
When should you put your air conditioner in storage?
There’s no single right date for storing your AC unit; hot sleepers may want to hang on to theirs a little longer, while those who get chilly at night may be ready to take it out sooner. Still, there’s a good benchmark you can follow.
“The general rule is that when the outdoor temperature continuously falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, you know it is time to turn off your air conditioner,” says Ben Green, an associate at The Chill Brothers, an HVAC service company in Texas. “You probably will not need the air conditioning once it gets that cool, and keeping it on could allow chilly drafts to enter your house.” Don’t wait for the first frost, either, Green adds, since freezing temperatures can damage the unit.
How to remove your air conditioner
Window air conditioners are bulky, heavy and awkward to maneuver, so taking one out can be a challenge. Once the unit is unplugged, these steps from Green can help make the job go more smoothly:
- Remove the seals and weather stripping. Anything you used to keep the unit snug in the window can make it stick when you try to pull it out.
- Take off the brackets. Unscrew or unclip anything holding the unit in place.
- Tilt it slightly inward. As you lift it, angling the unit toward the room keeps leftover water from splashing back into your home.
- Watch the frame and sill. Lift carefully so the unit doesn’t bang into either one, which can cause damage to your AC and the window it’s in.
- Set it on a towel. Any remaining water will drip out, so let the towel catch it.
What products can you use to clean an air conditioner?
Below I share some tips on how to clean your air conditioner before you store it, so you’ll want to gather some of these cleaning supplies before you dive into the process. While you can certainly use a damp cloth and some soap and water, the experts I spoke with say there are also a handful of products on the market that can help you get the job done.
These soft, lint-free microfiber cloths are scratch-free and highly absorbent, making them a gentle way to clean delicate surfaces — including wiping down your air conditioner’s filter or the outside of the unit. Each cloth is machine washable, so it holds up to repeated use. The color-coded pack makes it easy to keep one cloth for your air conditioner and others for other jobs.
NBC Selected senior editor Shalwah Evans has them and she says she uses them to clean so many things around the home. “I wipe the dust from my air vents and furniture with these, not to mention they’re great for washing dishes and wiping windows and mirrors without leaving streaks and lint on glass,” she says.
Frost King’s foaming coil cleaner dissolves dirt, grease and oil from air conditioner coils, fan blades and reusable filters. The water-based formula is low-VOC, lemon-scented, needs no rinsing (just a simple wipe) and has a 360-degree valve that sprays at any angle to reach tight spots. It also helps neutralize odors from standing water in drain pans.
This gives you everything to restore an air conditioner’s coils and vents — including small brushes that slip between grates and firm-bristled brushes that work well on coils. There is also a curved brush that reaches deep inside the unit, scrubbing condenser fins without damaging the coils. It’s worth noting that while some dirt may come off if you use the brushes dry, using a bit of soap and water or a coil cleaner in conjunction with the brushes will allow them to be most effective.
How to clean your air conditioner before storing it
Once the unit is out of the window, give it a good cleaning before it goes into storage. It’s a key step for two reasons. “Dust and debris left on your air conditioner can reduce its efficiency when you go to restart it in the summer,” says Green. “Plus, if you put your AC away with water in it, mold could grow and nobody wants to inhale that when you turn it back on.”
The good news is that the job is relatively easy. “Simply wipe down the outside of it well and remember to clean or change the air filter,” says Green. If you see dirt on the coils, he adds, you can vacuum them or clean them lightly. Mitchell recommends washing the filter with a mild solution of soap and water. You can also use the products we mention above to ensure a thorough cleaning.
Finally, make sure everything is completely dry before you pack the unit away. Wipe down any spots that look damp, then let it sit in a cool, dry place until you’re certain no moisture remains.
How to store your air conditioner
Your AC is out of the window and clean, which means it’s finally ready to go into hibernation until warm weather returns. If you still have the original box, that’s the best place for it, says Green. No box? Wrap the unit in plastic instead. Either way, you’ll keep out dampness, dust and critters, he adds. Just make sure the unit sits upright, the same way it does in a window. “This is crucial because any residual fluids from tipping it could damage interior compartments,” says Green.
Next comes choosing the right spot. “Select a location that is dry and away from very hot or cold temperatures,” says Mitchell. “A garage, cellar, or even a closet are the ideal spaces. Just stay away from sheds and attics that could get extremely damp or cold in the winter. The worst thing for your unit is moisture, as it can cause rust and electrical damage.”
Meet our HVAC experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Josh Mitchell is an HVAC technician and owner of the Air Conditioner Lab, a website that helps consumers get answers to HVAC issues.
- Ben Green is an associate at The Chill Brothers, an HVAC service company in Texas
Why trust NBC Selected?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Selected and a journalist who regularly covers home, lifestyle and more. I have written about how to keep food fresh during a power outage and whether portable washers and dryers are worth the money. For this story, I interviewed two HVAC experts on how to store your air conditioner during the colder months.
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