Maintenance Tips To Get Your Air Conditioner Ready For Summer

Posted on: 2 September 2015

Every summer it is important to check your air conditioning unit to ensure that is operating at peak levels. Here are a number of maintenance tips that you can do on your own to get the air conditioner ready for the impending summer heat waves.

Check The Batteries In The Thermostat

The thermostat controls the temperature inside the house and sends the signal to the air conditioner to turn on or off once it reaches a specific temperature. The whole thermostat is powered by a simple battery, typically one or two AA batteries, located in the back of the plastic thermostat. When the batteries get low or are depleted they start to send incorrect signals to the air conditioning unit, which causes it to work improperly. You should install a fresh set of batteries at least once a year, prior to the start of the summer months, by pulling the old ones out of the unit and popping new ones into place.

Change The Filter

The filter on your air conditioning unit prevents dirt and dust from getting sucked up inside the unit. Over time dust and dirt will build up on the filter and eventually start to block the air from flowing through the unit. When that happens, it will cause the unit to work overtime and could eventually overheat the motor unless you change the filter. Install a new filter by popping off the cover that stores the filter and sliding out the old, dirty filter. Take the new filter and match the arrows on it to the direction of the airflow before sliding it into place. Put the cover back on over the filter and lock it into place.

Clean The Air Vents

The air vents are how the air conditioner distributes cold air to the rest of the house. It important to go around the house clearing out the vents with a duster to remove dirt and dust that has built up and clogged the vent. Remove the vent covers with a screwdriver and then slide the duster into the vent to collect any dust or dirt that has built up inside the vent. Put the vent cover on and screw it back into place, then repeat the process on the other remaining vents inside the house.

If you perform the steps outlined above and the air conditioner is still not working, it could be a sign of a much larger mechanical issue. Rather than trying to fix mechanical issues on your own, you should always call in a professional air conditioning service technician when examining anything electrical or mechanical on the unit.

Contact a service like Elite Heating & Air Conditioning for more details.

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