As a general rule, no one’s air conditioning breaks down in January. Far and away, the most popular time for malfunctions and total failures is during a historic heat wave.
As soon as the weather begins to warm, do yourself a favor by inspecting your own HVAC system – it’s the difference between calmly scheduling some low-pressure maintenance, and frantically dialing the phone in a pool of your own sweat.
Go Outside.
First things first: cut the power to your cooling and heating system by turning off the circuit breakers and the thermostat. Under no circumstances should you be touching anything here while it’s still powered up. More info at thermostatlab.com
Next, you’ll find that one of the easiest ways to anticipate any problems with your AC is to go outside and eyeball your condenser unit. Over the last year or so, this unit may have been impacted by dirt, grass clippings, snow, weeds, leaves, and more. It’s important to clear the unit of any debris to ensure optimum function.
Take your vacuum cleaner, and use the hose – preferably with a brush attachment – to vacuum the sides of the unit. The fins here are rather delicate, so be careful. From there, clear the area at least three feet around.
At this point you may choose to gently address any bent fins with an implement such as a plastic knife, or a wire brush. However, if you have a lot of bent or badly damaged fins, you may want to leave this to a professional.
Check Filter and Condensation.
Chances are, you know where your filter is located and have replaced it (or had it replaced) at some point. In any case, this is a key point to service. Filters are typically located at the “air handler” near the return duct, at the return duct itself, or both.
Once you’ve located and removed any air filters, determine whether or not they’re reusable. If so, you can vacuum and rinse. Allow to dry before replacing. From here on, it’s important to clean or replace filters every three months.
One of the most common problems with central air conditioners is a clogged condensation line. To do a quick check on yours, find the condensation pan – it’s probably near that air handler. If there’s liquid in it, you likely have a clogged line.
Some handy homeowners handle this themselves, but aside from cleaning that pan yourself, it might be time to consult our third and final tip.
Hands Off!
Is your AC still under warranty? Are any electrical components kind of loose? Did you find ice on your condenser unit? In any of these cases, it’s best to step away. Call your provider or air conditioners Oshawa for a safer, more thorough inspection.
What’s too tough for you to handle is a breeze for HVAC professionals. Don’t get burned by your AC; keep it clean where you can, have a look at the major parts to see if anything may be amiss, and enjoy a cool, clean, worry-free summer.
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