Waiting until it's already hot outside to turn on your air conditioning system is a bad idea, because if any repairs or maintenance are needed it will already be too late. A better approach is to take a bit of time this spring to perform routine maintenance and prepare your air conditioner for summer, ensuring that when it's time to blast the AC it will cool your home well and efficiently. Here are three easy steps for accomplishing this:
Remove Debris from the Outside Unit
Over the course of the fall and winter, it is normal for dirt, leaves, tree branches, and other debris to accumulate around and on top of your outside AC unit. If you leave your air conditioning unit in this dirty state, it can't pump air efficiently, which means higher electricity bills and a less comfortable home. Remove large debris by hand and then simply hose down the unit with cold water (making sure that the unit it turned off first, of course). For more stubborn dirt and debris, you can use soapy water and a scrub brush.
Change the Filter
Starting the summer season with a clean air conditioning filter will help your AC push cold air through the system and out into your home much more efficiently, and will also improve your home's air quality. Most air conditioning systems have filters that are quite easy to access and change, but the instructions vary by model so you will need to locate your specific owner's manual. You can purchase new air conditioning filters very affordably at all major home improvement stores.
Schedule an Annual Maintenance Appointment
While many homeowners wait to have their HVAC system inspected by a professional until something is already majorly wrong, a better tactic is to automatically schedule an annual inspection each spring.
This way, your HVAC repair company, like A Bailey Plumbing, can clean the inner components of your air conditioning system, tighten anything that has come loose (which will help your AC work more efficiently while being less noisy), check your freon and other fluid levels and add more as needed, and troubleshoot any issues. This allows repairs to be made when problems are still in the early stages, and before they lead to more serious and expensive issues.
By following these steps to perform some basic spring maintenance on your air conditioning system, you are ensuring that your family stays cool all summer without unnecessary repair costs.
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