Summer is right around the corner in St. Louis, but with that comes heat and humidity. That means it is time to go over your air conditioner maintenance checklist to ensure your unit keeps you cool throughout the season. If you do not have an air conditioner maintenance checklist, do not worry! Our experts have put one together for you to assess your AC and make sure it is in optimal working order for summer. Read more below, or in St. Louis, contact the heating & air conditioning experts at Galmiche & Sons today to learn more.
Air Conditioner Maintenance Checklist
- Keep your outdoor unit clean: A dirty unit is a nonworking unit. Prevent problems by removing dirt and debris such as cottonwood and grass clippings from your central air unit. When dirty, the unit can overheat and shut off for safety, shortening its life and keeping it from cooling properly.
- Replace your filters: The second check on your air conditioner maintenance checklist should be the air filter. The filter used by your furnace for heating in the winter is the same one for cooling in the summer. A dirty heating and cooling filter can drive up operating costs (mean less cash in your wallet), and affect the air conditioner’s cooling capabilities. Filters are inexpensive to replace in St. Louis and will save you a bit of green in the long haul. Homeowners who are not able to change their filters should hire an experienced HVAC technician to do the job. The new filters will also stop airborne pathogens, dust, pollen and other impurities from affecting the indoor air quality.
- Carry out an inspection on the ductwork: Check the ductwork and all other piping before summer arrives. Lookout for leaks, debris, or obstructions and inspect the joints closely.
- Think about installing a thermostat the can be programmed: Numerous studies show that a programmable thermostat helps to make an air conditioning system more efficient. Setback thermostats are easy to install, and they are affordable. The thermostat ensures that the room remains at the desired temperature, so no energy is wasted.
- Clear debris from the exterior unit: This is one of the easier parts of the air conditioner maintenance checklist. There should be around two feet of clear space surrounding the unit, so cut back bushes, shrubs, trees, and other plants that may have overgrown. This space allows the air to flow freely around the unit.
- Examine the condensate removal system: Condensation forms when warm air flows through the cooling coil. Condensation must be removed from the system for proper operation, and therefore it is important to prevent blockages or clogs when going through your air conditioner maintenance checklist.
- Do not turn your air conditioner off at night: Many people turn their AC unit off at night and open up their windows in an effort to save money. Even though the night air is cooler, there is still a lot of humidity in the air in St. Louis summers. If you turn off the AC, you’re letting all the humidity sit there, meaning your unit has to work twice as hard to remove it when its turned back on. Save your air conditioner the effort by letting it run at night.
- Have the refrigerant levels in your AC checked: While your AC unit will operate when low on Freon or other refrigerant, it will run twice as long and use more energy. Having a professional HVAC contractor in St. Louis check your Freon levels every other season, at a bare minimum, will give a longer life to the appliance, and keep you from sweating.
Hire an Expert to Go Through Your Air Conditioner Maintenance Checklist
If you have completed your air conditioner maintenance checklist and discovered a problem, or would like and expert to handle it all, call us today! Our St. Louis heating & air conditioning specialists are happy to take care of your summer air conditioner maintenance needs!
