Each season has its own unique challenges. Summer in particular can really challenge your home’s HVAC system! It’s all too easy to end up with inconvenient AC failures or expensive repair needs. What can you do to keep your air conditioner happy during its hardest-working season? Here are our top HVAC tips for summer.
1: Have Professional AC Maintenance Done
Your air conditioner needs to have a routine checkup every year, and spring is the ideal time for it. This will get the whole system clean and well-lubricated, and any tiny problems that have started to develop will be nipped in the bud. It will help with efficiency, so your electric bill won’t creep higher and higher, and ensure more even cooling and fewer repair needs.
2: Change the Air Filter
Your AC unit’s air filter isn’t there to improve the quality of the air you breathe. It’s there to prevent fibers and particles from getting into the air conditioner. That dust and dirt would cause friction, wear and tear, and overheating. Clean the filter every month during the summer, and every third month when you’re only using the AC occasionally.
3: Keep the Coils Clean
The coils contain the refrigerant. As it flows, it absorbs heat from inside your home and then releases it once it gets outdoors. That means the coils need to allow for thermal transfer: they need to let heat in and out easily. If they’re caked with dust or dirt or enclosed by clutter or debris, there won’t be enough airflow, and your air conditioner won’t be able to absorb or release enough heat.
Feel free to use a can of compressed air to try and spray your indoor system, but any thorough maintenance like a deep clean of the coils will need to be done during professional maintenance. The outdoor coils are more likely to have a variety of problems. Dirt and mud may cake onto the outdoor unit. Leaf litter and lawn clippings may pile up around it. Plants and branches may grow too close. Keep the area clear, and use a very gentle hose to wash the coils as needed.
4: Reduce Your Use
If you can cut down on how much the air conditioner runs, you’ll reduce wear and tear and prevent excess strain on the system. This could preserve your precious compressor, the single most costly component, which you really don’t want to damage. It’ll also cut your electric bill. But how can you reduce your AC use?
Use your ceiling fans, turning counterclockwise, to keep air moving, and use a dehumidifier. Dry, moving air will absorb much more heat from your body than still, humid air. You’ll be comfortable at a higher temperature, so you’ll be able to raise your thermostat a few degrees and run the AC less of the time.
If you have any questions about HVAC in Washington, DC or need to schedule maintenance or repair, don’t hesitate to reach out. Addressing concerns promptly helps to keep AC problems minimal.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment or ask any questions you have about your air conditioner.