Beat the Heat with These Essential Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
Temperatures have been soaring these last few days. This has left many of us are stuck in a heat wave that seems like it will never let up. That is why it is so important to do air conditioner maintenance!
You’ve probably noticed your air conditioner running almost non-stop in an effort to stay ahead of the heat. But, your air conditioner needs to stay in tip-top shape if it’s going to beat the heat.
A poorly-maintained air conditioner is most likely to crash and burn during a heat wave. But don’t sweat it; use these helpful tips to avoid air conditioner problems and beat the heat.
Intro: The Parts of Your Central Air Conditioner
Your air conditioner has 2 main components.
The first being the condenser, which is outside your home. The second is the evaporator, which is usually just above your furnace in a compartment called the plenum.
Central air conditioners generally use the same fan to push cold air into your home’s ductwork. Similar to how the furnace uses to circulate warm air during the winter.
DIY Air Conditioner Maintenance
While it’s best to leave repairs and adjustments to the professionals, there are some things you can do to help keep your central air conditioner healthy.
*Before you work on any part of your central air conditioner, make sure to shut off the power to both the condenser and the evaporator.
Cleaning the condenser
The condenser is located in the unit that sits outside your home. The condenser itself and the fan that moves air across it can both accumulate dirt and debris.
These two things can affect your air conditioner’s performance. Click here for step-by-step instructions for cleaning the condenser once a year.
It’s also a good idea to protect your condenser with a special condenser cover during the off-season, to keep leaves and other debris from clogging up the works.
Cleaning the evaporator
If your AC system’s plenum is a sealed metal box, leave this job to the professionals. If the plenum is enclosed in foil-wrapped insulation instead of a metal box, you can clean the evaporator yourself once a year.
Click here for step-by-step instructions.
Protecting the coolant lines
Your air conditioner uses a chemical coolant–usually Freon–to cool the air that flows through it. A loss of coolant will turn your air conditioner into a warm-air-blower, and a big coolant loss can potentially cause major damage to your air conditioner.
Freon is also very expensive to replace and bad for the environment. This makes preventing and repairing coolant leaks is a must.
The coolant lines that run from your outside AC unit into your home are covered with a foam insulation that protects the lines from the elements. Inspect the insulation at the beginning and end of each AC season, and replace the insulation if you see any damage.
If you think your coolant lines may be damaged, or if you think you see a coolant leak, call a professional right away.
Replacing the thermostat
Your central air conditioner can’t do its job if it’s getting bad information from a faulty thermostat. Click here for instructions from Home Repair Tutor’s Jeff Patterson on how to install a new thermostat.
Window Air Conditioner Maintenance
Window air conditioners have the same parts as central air conditioners, in a compact form. Keeping your window AC clean and well maintained will lengthen its life and help you keep cool.
*Before you work on any part of your window air conditioner, make sure the unit is unplugged.
Experts recommend cleaning or replacing the filter at the beginning of the season and once a month during the summer. This is the most important thing you can do to keep your window AC working properly.
Click here for instructions for maintaining the air filter, cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils, and troubleshooting some basic window air conditioner problems.
When to Call a Professional
- To keep your central air conditioner in good working order, have a professional come before the beginning of each cooling season to inspect and adjust your AC.
- If you suspect a coolant leak, call a professional immediately.
- If your air conditioner is not working properly even after you have cleaned it, call a professional. You and your HVAC repairman work as a team: You’re the defense, keeping the unit clean, free of debris and protected from the elements and noticing any line damage or other problems, and your HVAC professional plays offense, getting the system off to a good start each year and making any adjustments and repairs. Together, you’ll make sure your family beats the heat this summer!
Photo By H Padleckas.
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