Having a perfectly-working air condition in Miami is extremely important, especially on hot summer days. This, almost mandatory, piece of equipment is used to adjust the temperature in homes to be just right. By doing this, you and your family will be as comfortable as possible during the hot days. That’s why air conditioning preventive maintenance is important and should be done every year before the summer season starts.
When you make sure that your AC is in perfect working condition, you can rest assured that you won’t experience any problems when you least expect them. Having a broken air conditioner during the summertime is a real nightmare, especially if you don’t know how to repair it yourself. Just googling “air conditioning service Miami” will leave you with hundreds, if not thousands of results, and most of them will be too busy to come by your house the same day.
Because air conditioning services can get pretty pricey, there are a couple of things you can do when it comes to preventive maintenance.
Preparing Your Air Conditioning System for the Summer Season
When your air conditioner hasn’t been working for a while, there are a couple of things you should do before starting it up again. Begin with your outdoor unit and check all the cables and hoses coming in and out of the unit. Because it’s located outside, there’s a high possibility that the coil is dirty or clogged up with leaves, grass, dust, or even pet hair if you have a dog. You should also check the inside for mouse nests.
Checking both indoor and outdoor units will give you a lot of information about the condition of your AC and whether you’ll need to call for air conditioning services or not. Sometimes, your system can stop working just because the connections aren’t secure. You can also check the condensation pan and clean it to make sure water won’t drip down on your walls or the electrical components of the system.
Cleaning the Outdoor Unit
This is very simple and easy to do. You don’t even need to be handy with any kind of tools and all you need is a vacuum cleaner and a water hose.
If you take the top off of the outdoor unit, you’ll have a clear view of the inner side of the coil. Although it’s not likely you’ll have buildup there, it’s always a good choice to clean it. After that, you should clean the coil with water from inside out. This way, the center of the unit won’t get filled with dirt and mud that was on the outside of the oil.
You can also remove the side panels, exposing the electric parts of the outdoor unit. Check for wear and if any of the wires are touching the copper tubing of the unit. If you’re not comfortable with dealing with electric components, leave this to a professional, but note that it’s something you found.
If you have the know-how, you can also check the capacitor because it’s something that usually causes problems after some time. Once you’ve checked the outdoor unit, you can focus on the indoor unit.
Change the Filters and Check the Thermostat
This is something you can do no matter how handy you are. Changing the filters is usually very simple, no matter which model of AC you have. If you haven’t been using your AC, chances are that these filters are pretty dirty and even have mold on them.
Changing the filters every year, or sometimes more often will ensure the system provides you with crisp, cool air with no bad odors. Dirty filters can also prevent air-flow which can lead to much bigger damage and repair costs. Although it seems like something you don’t need to worry about, it’s a crucial part of air conditioning preventive maintenance.
The thermostat is the central part of any AC system which lets you control airflow and set the ideal temperature for the entire household. In most cases when people called for air conditioning services, the settings on the thermostat weren’t set up correctly.
The thermostat can reset if there was a power outage since the last time you used it or someone from the household could’ve changed some of the settings without telling you. In any case, it’s best to check out the thermostat and adjust the settings before firing up the AC.
If the thermostat doesn’t work at all, you should look for a proven air conditioning service Miami has to offer. Sometimes, the problem can be electrical, and in some cases, the entire thermostat needs to be upgraded for the system to work properly.
Prepare Your Air Conditioning System for the Winter
When the summer season ends, there’s no need for the AC to be even plugged into the electric grid. Not only should you disconnect it from the power supply, but you should also switch off the circuit breaker the AC is connected to. Even though this doesn’t seem like a step you should take when it comes to preventive maintenance, it can protect the system if you experience any electrical glitches or blackouts.
Many people cover their outdoor unit during the winter but it’s not something you need to worry about that much. By covering the outdoor unit, you can attract mice and other little critters, because the inside of the outdoor unit would stay dry and warmer than the outside. The only thing you should cover is the top if the outdoor unit is placed where it can get damaged from icicles that could form on the roof.
Do You Need to Hire a Professional to Take Care of Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance?
Here’s the deal – you don’t need to hire a professional if you’re confident you can do everything yourself. On the other hand, if you’re looking for the best air conditioning service Miami has to offer, think about hiring professionals such as Chills Air Conditioning. Preventive maintenance can usually be done in under an hour by professionals because they know exactly where the most common problems occur.
No matter if you choose to do the maintenance yourself or you decided to ask for air conditioning services, you should do it at least once every year. This way, you’ll avoid costly repairs caused by common issues and you’ll save a lot of money and nerves in the long run!
Many people forget about regular services on their AC systems. This has lead to countless issues. Maintaining the AC is just like maintaining your car. Imagine if you haven’t been driving your car for a couple of months and taking it on a thousand-mile trip without checking it first. Chances are you’ll have a breakdown at some point, and all because you haven’t checked the oil and fluids. It’s the same thing with air conditioning.
When you don’t use it for a while, movable parts need to be lubricated, old parts need to be checked and eventually changed. It’s the only way to make sure you’ll have a perfectly working AC system during the season when you need it the most.
Did you ever experience the AC breaking down during the hottest summer days? Leave us a comment or share this article with your friends and family if you think this checklist would be useful.
