Many homeowners are busy getting ready for the fall and coming winter, but it is important to make sure that your air conditioner is serviced before the end of the cooling season. While many people schedule summer air conditioning maintenance at the beginning of the season, if this wasn’t done or if you have been using your air conditioner over the summer, now is a great time to make sure it is ready for next summer’s cooling season.
Simple summer air conditioning maintenance will protect your equipment and ensure it will be ready to deliver reliable cooling when next summer rolls around. For example, making sure you replace the air filter now will leave your air conditioner functioning as efficiently as possible. Additionally, if your heating system uses the same air filter, this will be an essential step in providing quality heating as well.
Other Important maintenance tips include making sure that evaporator coils and fins are clean. These can easily accumulate dust and debris during the cooling season, but a simple wipe down with a clean damp cloth can leave your system functioning more efficiently. The outdoor condenser unit can also get dirty. A careful washing with the garden hose is typically all that is needed. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that there is no overgrowth of shrubs or grass to impede air flow. Anything that obstructs the flow of air around your equipment will make it work harder, resulting in higher energy bills and poorer performance.
Another important part of A/C maintenance is making sure the condensate pan is emptied. This pan collects moisture that results from the cooling process. The water then flows through a drain line to the outside of your home. Make sure the drain line is not obstructed so that the water doesn’t back up into your home.
While some air conditioning maintenance, such as changing you air filter, can be done by the homeowner, other maintenance tasks are best left to a trained HVAC contractor. When you want professional A/C maintenance or you need other HVAC services, be sure to contact a local HVAC contractor.
