Before you head out on vacation this summer, take some time and effort and prepare your home comfort system for your absence. Unless you plan to turn the system off, running cooling equipment that hasn’t been maintained recently can lead to problems while you’re gone. You can do some of these tips yourself, but a thorough system check and servicing from an HVAC contractor will give you peace of mind and lower your cooling bills. Things you can do yourself:
- Change out your A/C’s air filter. Nothing stresses your home comfort system like a dirty filter. The airflow slows, dust builds on the evaporator coil, and your evaporator coil can freeze over. A frozen coil makes the outdoor condenser run continually, driving up your electric bill. It can also burn out the compressor and create indoor water damage when the frost melts as a result of the water not draining fast enough.
- Check the outdoor compressor/condenser and clear away vegetation. The outdoor unit runs most efficiently when nothing is close to it. Use a mild spray with the hose to clean the fins and coils inside the condenser’s housing.
When an HVAC contractor maintains your system, he’s likely to complete the following tasks:
- Cleaning the electrical connections and applying non-conductive lubricants.
- Measuring the refrigerant’s pressure. If it’s low, he’ll look for leaks and repair them before adding more to your home comfort system.
- Inspecting the indoor evaporator/air handler and cleaning the interior parts, including the evaporator coil and heat exchanger.
- Tightening the blower belt.
- Inspecting the drainpipe and drain pan. An overflowing air conditioner can create serious water damage indoors.
- Measuring the airflow at the blower and at the ducts. Finding duct leaks and sealing them is one of the major benefits of using professionals for system maintenance. Running your equipment with leaky ducts can increase your energy bills substantially.
- Calibrating the thermostat.
If you would like to schedule maintenance before you leave on a vacation, contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been providing HVAC services for the Twin Cities since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about maintaining your home comfort system and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!