Summer AC Tune Up for Healthy Home
Birds are singing and bugs are buzzing in Nassau County. Summertime is rolling in and bringing the heat. The damp days of spring have evaporated and the sun is reminding us how much we love and need our air conditioners. In order to prepare for those scorchers this summer, a proper AC tune-up is essential. Every year Americans spend almost 30 billion dollars on energy bills associated with central air conditioning. When an AC system isn’t running at peak performance, the cost to air condition your home can go up exponentially. Regular maintenance will extend its lifespan and prevent the possibility of breaking down causing an AC nightmare. Routine upkeep can be taken care of by homeowners, while some other jobs require a licensed professional. Just like changing the oil on your car, your central air conditioning system requires regular maintenance to run at peak performance year after year. A combination of attic insulation, air sealing and a properly tuned AC system creates a trifecta for comfortability.
The last thing you need during a heat wave is for your AC to crap out on you during a heat wave. To make sure your system remains effective and runs efficiently all summer long, you need to schedule maintenance before it’s too warm! It gets hot in Nassau County and once the heat hits HVAC pro’s are slammed and may have a hard time fitting you into their schedule. The sooner you schedule maintenance the sooner an HVAC professional makes it to your home to perform his/her duties. A well-trained technician will find and fix problems in your air conditioning system.
There are a number of DIY tasks but the most important one is to replace or clean your air conditioners air filters. According to energy.gov Clogged dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a systems efficiency significantly. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter can lower your energy consumption by up to 15%. Filters are generally located somewhere along the return duct's length on central air conditioners. Common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself. Room air conditioners have a filter mounted in the grill that faces into the room. Keeping these clean are a priority and not just for efficiency but for maintaining a healthy home.
You can also keep an eye on the air conditioners evaporator coil. Routinely cleaning or replacing the filter will help prevent the coil from soiling quickly but in time you will have to wipe it down and clean it. To clean the drains you can occasionally pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. Clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting excess moisture may discolor walls or carpet. Homeowners should replace batteries on their thermostat as necessary. If your particular model does not have a “low battery” signal or alert, your thermostat batteries should be replaced annually, or at the same time as the fire/CO2 detector batteries are changed. If your AC unit is outside you should cut back foliage and remove any debris left by nearby dryer vents. Anything that reduces ideal airflow can make your air condition system work harder, reduce its performance and can cost you money.
If you have a window unit, Inspect the seal between the air conditioner and the window frame to ensure it makes contact with the unit's metal case. Moisture can damage this seal, allowing cool air to escape from your house. On the front of these units are usually the filter screen. Routinely replacing or cleaning the filter will prolong the integrity of the appliance.
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