5 Easy Ways To Prepare Your Air Conditioner For Summer

We’re going to go ahead and guess that preparing your air conditioner for summer is probably not on your to-do list. We get it: summer seems SO far away, especially when spring is just making an appearance (however small it may be). However, taking care of your air conditioner is not only healthy for your home environment but for your budget: the Department of Energy reports that heating and cooling accounts for almost half of your utility bill. The better maintained your HVAC, the more savings in the long run. Adding these simple maintenance tasks to your spring cleaning effort will ensure you will beat the heat and chill out this summer. This will also help you detect significant problems early so you can contact a professional HVAC technician before it grows unmanageable. Our HVAC contractors offer affordable air conditioner repair, maintenance, installation, and cleaning services to ensure your unit is ready for the summer season. Who really wants to be worrying about their air conditioner in the summer, anyway?

Air Conditioner Repair & Maintenance Tasks

#1: Replace the filters

Changing out your filters is one of the easiest things you can do to maintain the efficiency of your air conditioner. Our air conditioning contractors recommend replacing your filters once a month. Here's how you do it:

1. Turn off the power.
2. Turning off your system’s power is a safety precaution: no one needs to be touching live voltage. Shutting off the power instead of leaving it on will also ensure that no extra dirt or debris will get sucked into the unit while you’re changing the filter. Switch off the power on the system itself and in your circuit breaker.
3. Extract the old filter.
4. Gently slide the old filter out of the slot that holds it in place.
5. Check the filter.
6. After you remove the old filter, inspect its condition. If you hold it up to the light and can’t see light shining through, that’s a good sign that it definitely needs replacing. Use your best judgment: some filters need replacing after being in use for less time than the manufacturer states, while others go the distance. The amount of dirt and dust may vary depending on where you live: city units will probably experience more debris from smog than those in the suburbs.
7. Insert the new filter.
8. Once you’ve decided you’re installing a new filter, simply insert the new filter inside the compartment by following the arrows on the filter that show you the direction air should flow. Make sure the arrow is pointing away from the return and towards the air handler.

#2: Install a programmable thermostat

With a programmable thermostat, you’re able to manually enter the temperature and amount of air flowing through your house when you need it, effectively minimizing waste and saving on your energy bill. They’re fairly easy to install, but our air conditioning contractors are always on call if you need step-by-step assistance via phone or a house visit! Stephens Plumbing provides air conditioner repair, maintenance, installation, and cleaning support services for your home or commercial space. We offer HVAC services in areas of Illinois such as Bolingbrook, Wheaton, Naperville, and Plainfield. Give our team a call by phone at (630) 968-0783 to receive assistance with an air conditioning issue.

#3: Clean the coils

We’re all well aware of the troubles winter brings. If you’ve left your air conditioner uncovered, it’s more likely that debris, mud, and other materials have settled inside the coils and caused or will cause system holdups. Use a hose to gently clean your air conditioner with water if the buildup is minimal. Otherwise, if the gunk is heavy, you may need to purchase air conditioner cleaner specifically made for removing sediment. Contact a HVAC contractor if you need assistance cleaning your air conditioner.

#4: Get rid of debris outside your unit

While you’re tending to the coils on the air conditioner, check the area surrounding your unit. Overgrown plants, twigs, leaves, and other organic matter can inhibit your the performance of your air conditioner. It would serve you well to mow the grass, pull up any weeds, and remove anything else blocking your unit. Once summer hits, check your air conditioner monthly for debris. Especially with the coming of summer storms, you want to build up as strong a defense against damage as possible. Summer storms are a doozy: high winds can hurl debris onto and into your air conditioning unit. After any storm clears, make sure you’re doing your due diligence by doing a brief inspection and cleaning of your unit.

#5: Get rid of debris outside your unit

Resolving leaky ductwork will save a whole lot of money and energy this summer. If air is escaping your ductwork for some reason, your air conditioner has to work nearly twice as hard to compensate. Be sure to inspect your ductwork for leaks; if you find any, seal them with tape bearing an Underwriters Laboratories logo. Despite it being ductwork, this is not a job for duct tape.

Contact a HVAC Contractor

Contact an HVAC contractor to learn more about our air conditioner repair, maintenance, installation, and cleaning services.