It’s exciting and refreshing when you don’t have to turn the furnace up at night anymore, when the crisp spring air cuts briskly through the sleepy winter warmth. But with spring here, temperatures can fluctuate a great deal, even occasionally inspiring you to start up the air conditioning.
You might notice some problems with your HVAC unit around this time. In fact, it’s quite common for the unit to have issues when first fired up to cool down the hot days. That’s why we’ve assembled this list of summer HVAC maintenance tips. They’ll help you get an idea of what to look for as the days grow warmer.
HVAC Maintenance Tips for Your Summer
While there are tricks you can use to keep your house cool during the summer without blasting your AC, it’s always good to have a solid unit you can fall back on and trust to cool the house down just in case. Take a look at some suggested HVAC maintenance tips below.
1. Clear Debris from Your Outdoor Unit
This is a tip that should be followed year-round. Your physical HVAC unit should always be clear of debris. Go outside and examine it. Brush away any plants or branches that might be touching or blocking it. These could be affecting how your HVAC system operates.
It’s advisable not to grow any plants or trees near your unit. Various debris and dust can build up on and even inside the unit, which can prevent it from working the way it should.
2. Clean the Ducts
Before the weather really starts to heat up, you should inspect your ducts to see if they should be cleaned. Cleaning out dust and buildup on the vent covers before you start the AC running will prevent the restriction of airflow. If left uncleaned, these air ducts can foster mold growth as well, so make sure to have them cleaned every few years depending on how dirty your ducts get
3. Replace the Air Filter
How often your heating and cooling system is used will affect how often you need to replace your air filter, but a good rule of thumb is every one to three months. You probably didn’t think to have your air filter replaced at the end of last summer, so before the start of this next one is probably a good time to consider replacing it.
4. Air It Out
Remember those tips for keeping your house cool without using the AC that we mentioned above? This is one of them. You can improve the air quality of your home by opening your windows to let in the fresh spring air before summer hits. Airing out your home for spring can help give you extra time to perform the rest of your maintenance check on your HVAC.
5. Check for Air Leaks
No matter how perfectly maintained your HVAC is, it won’t be able to cool a house that lets the air out. Do a thorough inspection of your home and check for areas that could be allowing the cold air to escape. You’ll be doing yourself and your HVAC unit a favor.
6. Test the Cooling Function
Steer clear of inconveniently warm summer nights or days by testing your HVAC’s cooling function in advance. Turn it down a couple degrees cooler than it already is and give the system some time to kick in. If it doesn’t work, you’ll have time to fix it or to have a new one installed.
7. Check the Wiring
Turn off your unit before opening up the access panel. Check for wires that are blackened or broken. If you see any that look like that, you’ll need to contact some HVAC professionals.
8. Check the Condenser Fan Unit
Your condenser fan is exposed to the elements, which means it can incur damage quite easily. Make sure to check it regularly for such damage and have it replaced if you see any.
9. Keep Up on Regular Servicing
You should have an HVAC checkup at least once a year. Certified technicians can check everything from top to bottom, from internal wiring to external debris buildup.
Air Conditioning Unit Maintenance Checklist with Absolute Air
At Absolute Air, we have an air conditioning unit maintenance checklist we use during all our HVAC inspections. Trust us to get the job done right. Following a maintenance check with our team, your air conditioning unit will function properly and perfectly to keep you cool during the hot summer months.
Contact us today to learn more about what we can offer you, including membership in our Comfort Club, which offers priority scheduling, free service calls, and other monthly deals.