As the weather outside starts to heat up, you’re probably starting to clean out your home for the spring season. One part of your home that you don’t want to overlook is your air conditioning system. Let’s dive into some of the key maintenance steps that you’ll need to take to ensure that your air conditioning system is ready to take on the hot summer weather just ahead.
Clear Space Around Condenser Unit
Because the condenser unit for your air conditioning system sits outside, it’s susceptible to debris blowing up against it. Unfortunately, any debris that is against your unit can restrict its ability to release heat into the air and will keep your home feeling too warm. Now is the perfect time to clean up those leaves and other debris so that your unit can operate efficiently. Also, be mindful of trimming back any low-hanging branches or shrubbery that are within a few feet of your outdoor condenser unit.
Replace Air Filter
Spring is a great time to replace the air filter inside of your HVAC system. When selecting a new air filter, you may want to consider getting one with a high MERV rating to help catch more airborne allergens to prevent allergy flare-ups from happening. Be sure to keep an extra filter on hand so that you can do replacements easily throughout the summer season as necessary.
Seal Up Air Leaks
It isn’t uncommon for air leaks to develop on your home’s exterior walls over the years. It’s a good practice every spring to feel around all your door and window frames, as well as the light switches and outlets on your exterior walls. If you notice any air leaks, you’ll want to seal them up properly. You can put a foam insert pad that sits behind the cover plate to block airflow around outlets and light switches. Both caulking and weatherstripping can be helpful to fix leaks around door and window frames.
Get Professional Tune-Up Service
One of the best ways to help prepare your cooling system for the summer season is to get professional AC maintenance service. During a tune-up, our HVAC technicians will lubricate moving parts, calibrate your thermostat, clean its coils, test electrical connections, and so much more. Having a technician perform maintenance is great way to maintain the warranty coverage on your system. During a tune-up, technicians can also detect problems and repair them to extend the overall lifespan of your system.
Set Your Thermostat
As you’re going through your springtime HVAC maintenance, you’ll want to ensure that you program your thermostat. By taking the time to program your thermostat now, you can set yourself up for more energy-efficient usage throughout the entire summer season. You may want to consider investing in a smart thermostat that can help to make automatic changes on its own to better optimize your energy usage and comfort. Plus, these smart thermostats allow you to easily control your thermostat from your smartphone or tablet.
Set Ceiling Fans
Be sure to take a moment look at all the ceiling fans in your home and switch the direction in which they spin. You’ll want to set them to spin in the counterclockwise direction. Once you turn them on you should feel a breeze being forced down on you. Don’t forget to switch your thermostat from heating to cooling mode in the spring when temperatures are warmer.
Test Run Your System
Another great tip for spring HVAC maintenance is to give your system a test run. Make sure that cold air is coming out of all your supply vents. If the airflow is weak, something may be wrong with the system. Also, make sure no weird noises are coming from your system. Hissing, banging, screeching, grinding, and clicking noises are signs of a problem that needs to be fixed. Finally, check to see if there is even airflow. Poor ventilation can also be a sign of a problem. You will want to make sure that your HVAC system is working properly before the temperature rises.
Expert HVAC Maintenance Service
DNA Heating & Air offers expert HVAC maintenance service for the Columbus, GA community. We can also assist with all your cooling and heating replacement, installation, and repair needs. Simply give our friendly office staff a call today and schedule an air conditioning services appointment with our helpful AC technicians.
