Summer is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to get your air conditioner ready to handle the hotter temperatures.
The good news is, prepping your air conditioner now will cut down your energy costs, prevent breakdowns, and improve your overall comfort.
In this blog, we’ll share 4 easy tasks to get your air conditioner ready to meet the demands of summer:
Want a trained HVAC professional to prep your AC for summer? We offer comprehensive AC system checks and an affordable whole-home maintenance plan.
First, we recommend checking your air filter to see if it’s dirty. A dirty air filter blocks airflow into your air conditioner, which makes your AC struggle to cool your home and can ultimately lead to problems such as:
To prevent these problems, we recommend checking your air filter before summer arrives. And during the summer, we recommend checking your air filter every month.
If the filter looks dirty (like the one in the picture below), it’s time to replace it.
A dirty vs clean air filter
Believe it or not, simply opening all of your air vents can prepare your AC for summer.
You see, if your supply vents (pictured below) are closed or blocked, pressure in your ductwork will increase. The increase of pressure can cause the AC’s components to work harder than normal, causing conditioned air to leak out of the ducts. This means your AC may have to run longer to keep your home cooled at the desired temperature, which leads to higher energy bills.
Make sure all of your air vents are open (even in unoccupied rooms) to help your AC run efficiently during the summer.
Next, head outside to take a look at your outdoor AC unit. You want to make sure the outdoor unit is free of debris and that there is at least 3 feet of open space around the perimeter of the unit. That means you may need to trim any shrubs/trees or remove any outdoor furniture that is too close to the unit.
Why?
The outdoor unit of your AC system is responsible for taking heat absorbed at the indoor unit and releasing it into the outside air. To release heat successfully, the outdoor unit needs sufficient space. If the outdoor unit is dirty or obstructed, it will put extra strain on your AC system that can lead to longer cooling cycles and even a system breakdown.
Make sure the outdoor unit is clear of debris, such as the branches in the image above.
We saved the easiest (but most important) task for last: Scheduling an AC system check.
The purpose of an AC system check is simply to help your air conditioner run at its fullest potential. Getting a professional system check will prepare your system to handle the demands of summer and provide benefits such as:
Besides those benefits, getting a system check will also keep your AC manufacturer warranty valid. Most AC manufacturers require proof of regular professional maintenance before they will honor the warranty. If your AC needs an expensive repair down the road, you’ll definitely want to have a valid warranty to help offset some of the cost.
As you search for an HVAC professional to hire for a system check, make sure you only hire licensed and experienced technicians for the job. An inexperienced or unqualified professional may cut corners during a system check-up or handle delicate AC components incorrectly, which can end up causing more harm than good.
Call us or schedule an appointment online. We’re currently offering a, which comes with a 1-year, no-breakdown guarantee. That means if your AC breaks within a year after the system check, we’ll credit the cost of the system check to the repair.
We also offer an affordable, whole-home maintenance plan that includes a comprehensive plumbing inspection as well as our complete AC system check. Plan subscribers receive exclusive benefits such as a 15% discount on repairs, no overtime charges, extended warranties, and more.