In some places around the world, air conditioning is a luxury. In many other places, it’s a necessity to ward off heat-related health problems.
This is why it’s so important to keep your AC in peak working condition. It’s to keep both you and your family safe from the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
We take family health and safety very seriously. Regular air conditioner maintenance is key to keeping your AC running without problems no matter how high the temperature goes this summer. That’s why we’ve collected the best tips for you to follow down below, so keep reading to find out more!
1. Clean the Filters Often
Clean filters are a big part of maintaining good indoor air quality. If your filters are always full of dust and debris, some of that will end up in your breathable air. Even a small amount is enough to irritate a person’s lungs.
Plus, when filters are dirty, they create a block to your AC’s airflow. You won’t have enough cool air making its way into the rest of the house and the AC will need to work harder to compensate.
Most air conditioning maintenance steps start with a quick filter rinse to get rid of that built-up dirt. If it feels like the filter remains blocked after you’ve cleaned them, it’s time to put in a replacement filter instead.
2. Check Your Windows
It’s never a good idea to have your windows and doors open while you’re running the AC, but sometimes warm air finds its way in even when they’re closed.
The main culprits are your windows. The seals around the glass sometimes crack when they get older, allowing outside air to come inside and ruin all the efforts of your air conditioning system.
If you notice that it never seems as though it gets to the right temperature inside your home, it’s time to take a look at your windows. Fixing them up is a big help to keeping your home free from too much heat this summer.
3. Clear Away Debris and Plants
If your system has an outdoor unit, then it needs as much care as the inside parts. The biggest concern for the outside unit is a build-up of grass and leaves getting inside of the vents.
The best way to keep this from happening is to keep all of the plants trimmed away. Move bushes to different parts of the landscape and keep the grass clipped so that it never has a chance to get inside your AC system.
To clean the outside, turn off the power, and then use your garden hose to give it a good rinse. For the places that are harder to reach, a soft broom works wonders. Remember not to scrub too hard as you don’t want to bend any of the thinner pieces of metal!
4. Set Appropriate Thermostat Temperatures
Walking into a refreshingly cool home after being outside all day is a nice treat for your family. The problem is that forcing your AC to work all day for an empty home is a waste of resources.
Maintaining an air conditioner starts with knowing how to set your thermostat. By minimizing the amount of time your AC works, you end up extending its lifetime by a large margin.
Whenever you know that you and your family will be out of the house for several hours, turn down the AC. You can always turn it back up again once you’re inside. A good air conditioner shouldn’t take too long to lower the inside temperature.
When in doubt, a programmable thermostat is a perfect solution. It can be set on a timer to start cooling the house right before you get back home!
5. Analyze Your Bills
Have you noticed that you’re spending more than usual to keep your AC running? This is a big indicator that there’s something wrong with the unit that’s making it pull in more power.
Even if you haven’t noticed anything wrong with the AC when it’s running, your bills are a great way to keep tabs on how things are going. Any unseen problems cause the system to work harder, so bills are an easy way to spot this.
It’s not unusual for your AC to cost a bit more as the temperatures spike, but a big jump in price means that it’s time to find start looking for the cause.
6. Inspect the Unit Regularly
A good way to keep up with air conditioner maintenance is by giving your system a good inspection every couple of weeks. This keeps you informed on what’s going on with the system and if there’s anything to worry about.
For instance, check for things such as proper airflow, exposed wiring, damaged vents or fans, and potential debris blocking the system.
Understanding all of the ins and outs of your particular system is the best way to stay on top of AC maintenance.
7. Call in the Professionals
Sometimes when there’s a problem with an AC, it’s not possible to fix without extra help. This is important if there’s something wrong with the inner workings of your system. It’s easy to make the problem worse if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you’ve run through all of the above steps and nothing works, then it’s a good idea to call up your local HVAC maintenance company.
They have the expertise to examine your air conditioner system and fix the problem without issue.
Keeping up With Air Conditioner Maintenance Ensures a Comfortable Life
With the help of these air conditioner maintenance tips, you’ll have no trouble keeping your AC unit running without problems. By completing these steps on a regular schedule, you’ll extend the life of your air conditioner.
Whenever you notice an issue with the system, refer back to this list to see if any of these AC maintenance steps fix the problem.
If that still doesn’t do the trick, then don’t hesitate to contact us right away. We’ll get your AC running again in no time!