Six Summertime Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

As a homeowner, you know the importance of keeping up with preventative home maintenance. You also know that HVAC repairs typically cost less than a complete unit replacement. With that in mind, here are some summertime air conditioner maintenance tips to help you avoid costly AC repair in St. George, UT:

• Check air filters monthly: HVAC air filters remove impurities from indoor air. If your air filter is dirty, then it cannot improve your indoor air quality. In fact, dirty air filters block the flow of air. When this happens, your air conditioner has to use more energy to produce cool air. Most disposable air filter manufacturers recommend checking your filters every one to three months throughout the year, but once a month during summer. Replace dirty filters, especially if you can actually see dust and debris, so your air conditioner unit can run efficiently.
• Clear away debris from the outdoor unit: Whether you have a rooftop or ground air conditioning unit, make sure nothing is constricting the airflow around it. Air conditioners don’t run efficiently when grills are blocked by leaves, dirt, dust, grass clippings and other yard debris. The outdoor unit needs to be able to breathe so heat can transfer from inside your home. Similar to a clogged air filter, a blocked unit will have to work harder to produce an adequate amount of cool air. Throughout the summer months, it’s good practice to check that nothing is blocking the unit.
• Open windows on cool evenings: Try giving your air conditioning system a break every now and again. What do we mean by “a break”? Of course, use your AC if it’s hot outside, but depending on where you live, you may catch some cool summer evenings. On cool mornings and nights, turn off the air conditioner and open the windows. You’ll get fresh cool air circulating through the house, and your AC will get a break.
• Close the curtains and use fans: There are things you can do to help your AC work less. First, since the sun creates a lot of heat, close the curtains at peak times to block the hot sunlight from streaming through your windows. You can also use ceiling and portable fans and other kinds of cooling fans to cool down the inside of your house. Another option is to use fans along with the air conditioner. Fans help circulate and maintain the cool air, and your AC won’t have to kick on as often.
• Know the signs of AC trouble: The top signs of trouble include the air conditioner not cooling, failing to turn on, making odd noises during operation, producing bad smells even though you replaced the air filter and the fan banging around inside of the unit.
• Schedule professional AC maintenance: Work with the right HVAC maintenance company and your air conditioning unit will last longer and encounter fewer problems. The key to keeping the unit energy efficient and avoiding expensive repairs is to schedule professional inspections and tune-ups on a seasonal basis.

If you need AC repair in St. George, UT this summer, don’t hesitate to call Calaway Heating & Air Conditioning!

Categorised in: Air Conditioning

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