As spring turns to summer, more people travel to different locations to enjoy the summer sun with their families. However, they want to return to a home with plenty of air conditioning to be comfortable in their own space. With the proper cooling system, you can beat the summer heat.
Before summer arrives, it’s essential to check and perform maintenance or repairs on your HVAC system to ensure it runs correctly. If you wait until summer to check your HVAC, you could risk going a few days without air conditioning while you wait for an available technician during the busy season. Follow the six tips below to ensure your HVAC unit is ready for summer!
One of the best ways to keep your HVAC system up and running is to schedule regular maintenance with a professional technician. Scheduling at least one HVAC maintenance appointment annually helps prevent damage to your cooling system, ensuring it will run when needed. Ideally, you should aim for an appointment in the spring when HVAC technicians are more available.
During the summer, technicians are busy with maintenance or emergency repair requests, meaning you may have to wait longer to restore your air conditioning. You can prevent this by scheduling your air conditioner maintenance ahead of the summer season.
In most cases, preventative maintenance should only take about 20 minutes, as long as the system is in working order. If your technician notices a need for repairs or replacements, the appointment can take longer, but it’s better to find out if these problems exist in the spring before you need your air conditioner.
Your air filters are essential for energy efficiency and keeping your air quality in good condition. As your HVAC system runs, your air filters will collect dust, dirt, pet hair, and other air pollutants to prevent them from entering your home and affecting your air quality. Over time, these particles build up and can cause your air filter to become ineffective, forcing air particles back into your system. These particles can strain your HVAC unit, causing it to work harder to provide you with air conditioning and potentially damaging your system.
The frequency you’ll need to change your air filter will depend on your lifestyle. For example, having pets means that there will be more particles in the air, requiring you to change your air filter more frequently. In general, you should evaluate your filter once a month, but you may need to do it more if there are ample air particles in your home or someone in your home has asthma or another respiratory condition. Keep track of when you change your filter so you don’t fall behind.
Spring is the best time to check your ducts and vents to ensure they’re clear and clean. Dirty ducts and vents can prevent your HVAC system from circulating quality air through your home, meaning you could breathe in harmful particles. Your HVAC system will also become less efficient, making it work harder to cool your home and increasing your utility bill.
First, you’ll want to check your vents. Look for dirt, dust or any other kind of build-up on the interior or exterior of your vents. If you find any, you’ll want to clear and clean them to ensure that your vents can push air through the openings. You’ll also want to check that your air vents are open at every location in your home so air can flow freely.
While you may be able to clean your vents on your own, you’ll likely need a professional to help you clean your entire duct system. Your home vacuum can only reach so far, and experienced HVAC technicians have the equipment to help you reach every crevice of your duct system. Your technician can also detect any issues with your ducts, such as leaks or damage that require additional work.
Ensuring that your ducts and vents are in order before the summer helps prevent the need for emergency maintenance. You’re also more likely to access HVAC services quickly in the spring when they aren’t in as high of demand as they will be in the summer months.
As your AC unit runs, it produces moisture as it cools the air. This moisture exits through a smaller drainage pipe, which can get blocked over time without the right care. Too much build-up can prevent your unit from reducing the humidity in your home. You should check your drainage line regularly and clean it with a shop vacuum.
An AC condenser is responsible for releasing the collected heat, helping to cool the home. You can check your unit outside to see if the condenser has collected any debris that may be obstructing its flow, such as leaves or other vegetation. You should check your condenser unit at least twice a month to ensure you can adequately remove the hot air from your home.
If your HVAC system isn’t working correctly, but you’ve checked every other location for a potential problem, try checking your thermostat. It could be broken and fail to read the temperature in your home, meaning that it won’t send the signal to turn on your cooling system when it gets too hot. A professional HVAC technician can help you properly calibrate your thermostat to ensure it works correctly.
If you haven’t already, you may also want to consider switching to a programmable thermostat. These thermostats allow you to control your home’s temperature with greater precision. You can set specific temperatures for various times of the day to help you save money. For example, if your family is out of the home for multiple hours a day, you can set the thermostat to be warmer during these times, so you’re not spending money cooling your home when no one’s there.
You can also program your thermostat to start cooling your house 30 minutes to an hour before you return, so the temperature inside has cooled by the time you come home.
Summer means fun and adventure but can become uncomfortably hot and humid without air conditioning. The professional technicians at Shipley Energy Home Services are here to help with all your HVAC needs. We’ve been helping families for over 90 years, and all our staff has the proper knowledge and training to maintain and repair your cooling system.
From regular tune-ups to extensive repairs, Shipley Energy has you covered. Learn more about how we can help you get through the summer heat, and contact us today!
