Important HVAC Maintenance Tips to Prevent Costly Repairs
What’s a couple of hours worth to you? What if you knew that by spending a couple of hours every month taking care of some small issues with your A/C unit could save you lots of money? Would you be willing to roll up your sleeves?
Regular HVAC maintenance can help take care of smaller problems before they develop into bigger, more costly ones. It can also help you to extend your unit’s life, which works out to even greater cost savings.
It’s time to get busy! Here are some items to include on your to-do list:
Clean Condenser from Debris
Given that your condenser is located outside, it can be subject to some harsh conditions from the elements. Debris can gather inside the unit which can interfere with its ability to work well.
To do this job, pick a day that is 60 °F or warmer. It needs to be at least that warm for you to ensure that your A/C is cooling properly.
Before you start to clean, ensure that your condenser is on level ground. If it isn’t’ take steps to level it out with gravel or with patio stones.
Remove the cage fan on top with a screwdriver and gently wipe the cage clean.
Use a wet-dry vac to get into the corners inside the unit to clean out any debris that may have blown inside.
Thoroughly clean the fins on the unit’s exterior. Wipe any significant debris off with a clean cloth and then spray down with your garden hose.
Don’t use a pressure washer because it might bend or break the fins. When everything is clean, make sure that all the fins are pointing out, so as not to interfere with air flow.
Tune-Up Time
It is common for people to put off their annual A/C maintenance, but if you are serious about preventing more costly repairs and saving money on energy costs, this is a necessary step.
The technician will clean and inspect all areas and parts of your unit, identifying potential problems before they have a chance to develop into bigger ones that come with bigger price tags.
Change Your Air Filter
For optimum air quality, even cooling and energy efficient a new air filter is a good idea every month. They are easy to change.
You just slide it out and pop in a clean one.
To ensure that you get the right size, bring the used filter with you to the store. Buy a few when you are there to save yourself a trip later.
It’s advisable to have a filter with a high MERV rating. That rating designates the filter’s energy efficiency.