When temperatures rise in the summer, your AC unit is one of the most important features of your home. Unfortunately, if you don’t invest in maintaining your air conditioning system, you could end up needing costly emergency repairs on a hot summer’s day. A clean AC unit supported by the proper infrastructure, like a duct booster and programmable thermostat, will serve you well every summer day. How can you start maintaining AC unit components at your house and save on home cooling?
1. Change the Air Conditioner Filters Regularly
A clean AC unit doesn’t just need to be clean on the outside; it also needs to be clean on the inside. Air filters filled with debris or dust will make your heating and cooling system less efficient. If the air filter is dirty, the air carrying debris and dirt can also pass through the filter into the evaporator coil, which reduces the system’s efficacy further.
Aside from improving the efficiency of your unit for better cooling results, when you are maintaining AC unit components, you can also save on your energy bills. Depending on the type of air conditioner you have, the filter might be located in the air conditioner, on the ceiling, or along a duct. Some air conditioning filters are reusable, while others need to be regularly replaced.
How often should you clean or change your air conditioner filter to ensure a clean AC unit? For most homeowners, changing it once a quarter is appropriate. However, if any of the situations below apply, you should change it once a month:
- You or a family member has allergies
- You have pets
- There is high pollution in your area
- Anyone in your household has breathing or lung issues
Changing your filter too frequently will not harm your AC unit, so if you have any reservations about whether or not you should change it, you can do so.
2. Maintain AC Unit Air Conditioner Coils+
Air conditioners have evaporator coils and condenser coils that gradually collect dust, dirt, and debris over time. Changing your air filters properly to ensure a clean AC unit will help, but both coils will gradually accumulate dirt over time. The dirt on the surface of the coils prevents them from adequately absorbing heat and limits proper airflow.
Maintaining AC unit air conditioner coils is critical to ensuring your system is in peak condition. To further reduce the chance of dirt, you should cut back foliage or shrubs that are right by the air conditioner to limit the possibility of them introducing more yard debris and dirt. An HVAC professional can take care of cleaning the coil, the area around each of the coils, extracting dust and debris, and keeping your air conditioner in perfect condition.
3. Check Your Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat is a huge asset that can save you money every month on your cooling bills, and maintaining AC unit thermostats will ensure optimal function. Does the thermostat maintain the temperature that you set it at? Are you able to schedule it to kick on and off at certain times?
Smart thermostats are a new type of programmable one that comes with an app so you can control your AC unit from anywhere in the world. A smart thermostat can give you freedom over precisely how comfortable your home is. Your thermostat can also adjust to your usage patterns. For example, it could adjust the temperature to be higher when you are out of the house at work or lower when you curl up to take a nap in the afternoon.
4. Consider Adding a Duct Booster Fan When Maintaining AC Unit Ductwork
Do you feel like your AC unit cannot perform adequately for your home? This is a problem that many homeowners experience every year, and it can be particularly challenging if you have many rooms that are a long distance from the AC unit. Insufficient airflow can be improved with a duct booster fan and by maintaining a clean AC unit in Miami.
An AC booster fan is designed to increase airflow to rooms and parts of the home that have weak flow or poor cooling. Depending on which duct booster fan is right for you, it could be installed inside of a duct or added to the AC registers in each room. While booster fans cannot fix an air conditioner that is simply too small for the property, they can solve airflow issues and make the air circulate in your home with ease.
Adding a duct booster fan is a great idea when:
- You have older ductwork or an old home with an outdated one
- Your ductwork has a unique or complicated layout
- There is an airflow issue in one or two rooms within your home
- You want to get the most airflow possible out of your air conditioning system
An HVAC professional can help guide you through your options for various energy efficiency add-ons, like installing a duct booster fan or a programmable thermostat.
5. Check the Air Conditioner Pad Beneath Your Unit
The concrete sitting underneath your air conditioner is known as the pad. This pad helps to prevent the unit from sinking into your grass and landscaping and ensures the unit is protected from pooling water. If the concrete has settled since you moved to the property or installed the unit, sinking is okay, providing no strain on electrical lines or coolant tubes. However, once the lines are pulled, or condensation is pooling, you will need to repair or re-install the pad.
6. Examine Condensate Drains for Any Clogs
Air conditioners have drains that carry water out of the unit and ensure that the unit can properly lower humidity levels inside of your home. You or an HVAC professional can clean the drains of your air conditioner once a year and remove any debris or clogs that could be leading to elevated humidity levels in your house.
7. Schedule Annual AC Maintenance
You should not take care of some tasks on your own. When it comes to annual preventative maintenance for your air conditioning system, you should contact an HVAC professional. Investing in yearly maintenance can reduce your emergency repair bills, pinpoint issues before they become major problems, and ensure a long life for your unit. If you need help maintaining AC unit in Miami, you should work with a professional.
Keep Your Home Comfortable This Summer With Chills Air Conditioning Company
Are you tired of sweating through the hot Miami summers? Is your air conditioning unit not doing a good job circulating air throughout your home? Chills Air Conditioning Company is a licensed team of professionals offering air conditioning services throughout the Miami area.
We offer free estimates for our repairs, maintenance services, and installation services. We are proud to offer quality products at the most competitive prices. We are here to help your air conditioning system provide peak performance, whether it’s the hottest day of the year or a warm day in spring. To schedule your appointment now, click the Book Appointment button or call us at (866) 937-5614.
