Now that summer has hit, you need to make sure that your air conditioner will keep you cool until fall. Here are six easy tips to get the most efficiency out of your unit and avoid costly repairs.
- Change your air filters. This is something you can easily forget to do. Changing your filters ensures that dust doesn’t accumulate and block the airflow, making your HVAC system work harder than necessary. Make it a habit to change your filters on the first of the month, and you’ll be more likely to remember.
- Clean the outdoor unit. Leaves, weeds, plants, grass and other debris can block the airflow through your condensing unit. Sweep away these things so that they do not collect on the unit’s fins. Spray it with the hose occasionally to remove the dirt.
- Seal air ducts. You can lose as much as 20 percent of your conditioned air through ducts and leaks. To keep air from leaking into your attic or crawlspace, use a duct sealant to cover these gaps.
- Unclog the condensate drains. Use a stiff wire to unclog the drains to keep them performing at an optimal level. This will let your air conditioner do a better job of dehumidifying.
- Close vents in unused rooms. By closing off rooms that are unoccupied, you will ease your A/C’s workload. This will lengthen your system’s life.
- Schedule preventive maintenance. Just like a car, your air conditioner needs to be serviced regularly. Hire an HVAC specialist to inspect all the components. This will help to ensure that your system doesn’t go down when temperatures are peaking. If it has been more than a year since your last service check, you need to schedule one immediately.
For additional ideas to help you keep your air conditioner running, contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We have proudly served the Twin Cities metro areas since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. To get started, check out our website.