Summertime usually presents us with fantastic weather and many occasions to relax. However, before you start thinking about your vacation destinations, you should consider making some necessary preparations. One of the most important things you need to address is your air conditioner.
Getting your air conditioning unit ready for the summer is vital if you want to enjoy cool and refreshing air in your home. After all, an air conditioner can literally be a lifesaver during those prolonged summer heatwaves. If you wish to stay prepared for everything summer may throw your way, take care of your air-conditioning unit by following our tips.
Clean Your Air Conditioner
This is an activity that requires some time, but it is well worth the effort. Cleaning your air conditioner is essential in order to eliminate any dust or dirt that has built up and may hinder the proper functioning of the unit. To do so, all you have to do is remove the outer parts, such as the filters and the grilles, and clean them thoroughly using a vacuum cleaner, a broom, and, in case of stubborn stains, a mild detergent.
Have Your AC’s Coils Cleaned
If you are not familiar with the inner parts of your air-con, it is best to call in a professional maintenance service to remove and clean the coils. This should be a regular activity, especially if you use air conditioning in your home frequently. Otherwise, you may notice a drop in performance to the point where it might stop functioning altogether.
Replace Your Filters
This is another essential step when it comes to preparing your air conditioner for the summer. Air filters have to be changed quite often – every three or four months should be more than enough. This is a point you cannot afford to skip if you want to enjoy a long-lasting air conditioner. If you don’t have enough time to change the filters yourself, consider hiring a company offering furnace & heating services in the Chicagoland region.
Get Your Air Conditioner Serviced
An air conditioning service is vital if you want to make sure that your unit will work properly during the summer heatwaves. An annual service is more than enough to improve its performance significantly and ensure you won’t have to deal with any issues involving your AC unit. This also means that you will be able to enjoy cool and comfortable air inside your home throughout the entire summer.
Turn Up Your Central AC
If you live in a part of the country that suffers from extreme heat, turn up your central AC before the weather gets warmer. In fact, this should be done around March or April, so you won’t have to purchase additional equipment for your home during the hot summer months. This will save you money and eliminate the need for using window units or portable air conditioners in your home during summertime.
Keep Your AC Unit Out of Direct Sunlight
Another important step when it comes to getting ready for summer is ensuring that your AC unit stays in a cool, ventilated area that is out of direct sunlight as much as possible. This way, it won’t overwork itself due to overheating, which would ultimately lower its functionality significantly.
Consider making sure that your AC unit doesn’t receive direct sunlight from dawn until dusk. If you can’t find a shaded place to install your air conditioning unit, during the hottest months of summer, try covering it with a piece of tarp whenever possible.
Make Sure Nothing Blocks the Airflow Vents of Your AC Unit
Blocking the airflow vents may cause your AC unit to overheat. This will invariably lead to the unit breaking down and may require you to replace it sooner than you expect. Therefore, you need to make sure nothing blocks its vents while it works or when you aren’t using it.
If there is something blocking those vents on a regular basis – such as dirt or debris – you should definitely have whatever is blocking the airflow vents removed as soon as possible. After all, an overheated AC unit is one of the most common causes of malfunctioning.
Additionally, you may be getting poor airflow due to the air ducts being torn or bent. Check that there aren’t any tears in the air ducts. If there are any tears, get the air ducts replaced immediately. Leaky air ducts will invariably lead to problems you don’t want to deal with:
- Hot spots in various parts of the home – A leaky duct will cause poor air distribution. And while your unit will be working overtime, there will be spots in your home that won’t get any cool air, leading to pockets of hot air in your home.
- Dust and dirt – A leaky air duct sucks up dust and debris only to blow them out the supply vents.
- Undue wear on the air filters – Because of the additional dust and debris your unit will suck up, this will invariably cause the filters to be stressed further contributing to the unit’s poor functioning.
- High energy bills – If there are any tears in your air ducts, your home won’t be as cool as you want it to be and you’ll be paying much higher energy bills. This is because your unit will have to work extra hard for a result it won’t be able to achieve.
Install an Indoor Fan
Having an air conditioning unit doesn’t mean you don’t need a fan. A fan helps the air circulate better, which adds coolness to a room but also helps with the air quality.
If you wish to make sure that cool air gets distributed properly throughout your entire home during hot summer days, consider installing a so-called bathroom vent fan or an indoor ceiling fan in the lower levels of your house where most of the bedrooms are located. This way, cool air will reach all of them without being too cold and uncomfortable at first. It is important that this fan be placed in an area where there are no obstructions in the path of airflow and where it can circulate the air properly.
Conclusion
You know that summer is coming, so there is no reason you should be caught unaware. Take a little time to do some basic cleaning and maintenance of your air conditioning unit. You’ll feel better when the heat comes and better when the utility bill comes too.
