Hey, who wants cool air indoors on hot days this spring and summer?
You do?
Good, then you’re in the right place.
The last thing you want is your AC to break down on a hot, sweltering day.
To prevent that, do these 4 things:
- Check the air filter monthly
The air filter is supposed to protect your heating and cooling system from dust and other particles. But if the filter gets too dirty, it can cause costly damage.
Here’s how.
When running, your AC is constantly pulling in air via the return grille (where the air filter is located).
But if the air filter is dirty, it acts like a barrier, reducing airflow over the evaporator coil (the part that cools the air) causing it to freeze. Operating your AC like this for too long can destroy the outdoor unit’s compressor.
If the compressor breaks and it’s not under warranty, you want to consider buying a new outdoor unit. The compressor is the main component of your AC system and very expensive.
Check the air filter once a month. If it looks like the one below...
...change it!
- Clean the outside air conditioning unit
Your central air conditioner has 2 units: the inside and outside unit. If you don’t clean the outside unit, your air conditioner will run inefficiently—and possibly break down.
How?
Well, it helps to know how an AC works.
But here’s what you need to know in a nutshell:
Your air conditioner’s indoor unit absorbs heat from the indoor air (making it cool) using refrigerant. That refrigerant travels to the outside unit where it releases heat with the help of the compressor and fan.
But here’s the problem: If dirt, grass, dust, leaves or limbs are covering the outside unit, it has a trouble dispersing the heat from the refrigerant. That means your AC will work longer to cool your home because it’s struggling to meet your home’s temperature.
A blower running full speed, 24/7 increases the chance that it’ll break down.
Solution: Have an AC professional clean your coils with specially designed coil cleaner chemicals.
- Don’t close air vents
You may think that closing vents in unused rooms saves you money, but it actually increases energy bills and can cause damage to the AC.
Here’s how.
Closing air vents increases pressure in your air duct system. That’s bad news for your system’s blower, which is designed to deliver air against a particular pressure. Closing vents will force the blower to move less air, decreasing airflow over the evaporator coil.
So it’s kind of like having a dirty air filter: the reduced airflow will cause the compressor to break.
So keep those air vents open!
- Get professional preventative maintenance
Your air conditioner needs professional maintenance just like your car does.
Maintenance helps catch small problems before they become larger—more expensive— problems.
According to ENERGY STAR, you need to, “Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups.”
By “pre-season” they mean spring for air conditioners and fall for furnaces.
Get Professional AC Help in Atlanta
Ragsdale has been serving the metro Atlanta area for over 25 years. Contact us online for expert air conditioning repair.
