Preparing Your Air Conditioning System For Spring
Spring is in the air! It's a good time to start readying your air conditioner for the warmer weather so on that first warm day, you can simply turn it on and count on it to cool your home. How do you prepare your AC for the spring? You can start by following these steps.
Change the air filter.
In most homes, the air conditioner and the furnace use the same whole-home fan. So, they also push air through the same filter. That filter is likely quite dirty after the furnace has been sending air through it all winter. So, it's a good idea to buy a new one and slide it into place before you have to turn the air conditioner on. If you hire an HVAC contractor to do professional maintenance on the AC system, they will often do this for you — but it's worth checking. Occasionally they assume the homeowner is on a routine filter-change schedule, so they skip this step by default.
Clean the outdoor unit.
The outdoor compressor might be covered. Take this opportunity to uncover it for the season. If there are any leaves or pieces of debris caught in it, pull them out. You don't usually need to remove the AC cage to do this, but if there's a lot of debris, it might be worth doing so. You'll only need to undo a few screws at the base of the AC unit to lift the cage off and easily clean the inside of it. If you have your AC professionally maintained, this is something they'll do.
Turn the power back on.
If you turned the power off to your AC unit in the fall, now is the time to turn it back on. Sometimes, all you need to do is flip a switch on the AC unit. Other times, you may need to go down to the breaker box and turn the breaker connected to the AC unit back on. It depends on how your system is set up.
Adjust your thermostat. If you're still using your heat, you might need to wait a little longer for this one. Change the temperature settings on your thermostat to suit your current schedule. Most people keep their homes a little warmer in the spring and summer than in the winter so they don't use as much energy.
If you take care of these tasks early, your AC will be ready for the change in seasons. If your unit is older or needs a little more maintenance, don't hesitate to call in a pro.
For more info, contact a company like Mikes Heating and AC Service.
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