There are plenty of things to do when it comes to preparing your HVAC system for the heat of summer. Scheduling a licensed heating and air professional to tune up your system is one of them. But, for all the DIY people out there, this article will give you some tips on what you can do to help your system!
You need to do more than simply dust and scrub in spring cleaning if you want to keep your house comfortable and clean all summer long. Your heating and cooling system experiences a fair amount of strain from the bitterly cold winters and the intense summer heat. Because of this, it's a great idea that you schedule HVAC maintenance during your spring cleaning.
Before you turn the thermostat down to cool, make sure you finish these quick maintenance chores. By doing this, you can maintain your system operating efficiently, which will ensure a relaxing summer and save expensive repairs.
Starting with the outdoor unit:
1. Take off any lids, coil blankets, or condenser covers: Make sure to take off the cover before turning on the system if you covered the outdoor coil to keep it safe throughout the winter. These covers restrict airflow and potential heat transmission while protecting and keeping leaves out of your unit. Even for a little period of time, starting the system while any of these coverings are in place runs the risk of seriously damaging it. Every year, a lot of people fail to remove their covers, which frequently necessitates significant repairs or maybe the replacement of the entire system.
2. Examine the panels on the outside of the unit: They are meant to enclose the electrical connections, and they need to be there to keep your system and yourself safe. A misplaced panel or one that is missing (maybe from wind) could endanger your safety as well as the equipment's ability to operate safely. Before turning on your system, you should contact a skilled expert for an examination if the panel covering the electrical connections is missing or misplaced.
3. Clear any debris from the outdoor coil: Trash or grass may have been blown into or against the coil, depending on where you live and which side of the house your system is on. The purpose of the condenser coil is to transport heat, and any debris against it reduces this ability. Clear the coil and its surroundings of any debris to ensure optimal system performance. You can normally use a garden hose to clean off a lot of dust or pollen from the coils, but be sure to keep the spray directed only at the coil region and away from any electrical panels.
Next, inspect the indoor unit:
1. Replace the air filters: Changing the seasons is typically a good idea when it comes to indoor air filter replacement. The U.S. Department of Energy states that changing or cleaning your air conditioner's filters on a regular basis is the most crucial maintenance procedure that will guarantee its performance. When the regular airflow is blocked, dirt may enter the evaporator coil through the air bypassing the filter, reducing the coil's ability to absorb heat. Up to 5% to 15% less energy can be used by your air conditioner when a dirty or clogged filter is replaced with a clean one.
** Pro Tip: To save money, purchase your filters from Speir Heating & Air rather than the big box stores
2. Clean the supply and return vents and grilles: Throughout the year, dust, dandruff, pet hair, etc. accumulate on the surfaces of the supply and return vents and grilles. It’s easy to clean those off using a vacuum hose or a rag with some all all-purpose cleaning spray. Cleaning off the supply vents will keep debris from being blown into your living spaces while cleaning the return grilles will keep debris from being pulled into the ductwork. In general, cleaning these off at the change of a season is a good idea.
3. Turn your system to “cool” mode to make sure it works: Once you’ve gone through all these steps, turn your system to “cool” mode and drop the temperature down a few degrees. Allow your system to run for 10 to 15 minutes and make sure it is cooling properly. Turning your system to cooling mode now is a great way to ensure you won’t be stuck without cool air in the heat of the summer. Be sure to make a note of any strange or abnormal noises and/or odors that may pop up. If no air is coming out of the vents, or the air is not cool, there could be an issue with your system and you turn it off immediately to prevent further damage. It’s always a great idea to ask an HVAC professional to diagnose the system if you think something is wrong.
As you now know, there are plenty of great ways you can help yourself when it comes to HVAC system performance. Doing any of these tasks on the checklist prior to Summer will only help your system run as it should!
In addition to these great tips, there are other, more in-depth solutions to ensuring long-term system performance and efficiency. At Speir Heating & Air, we provide a comprehensive maintenance inspection that includes cleaning and tuning your system. Our team will check electrical connections, the refrigerant charge, parts voltage and amp-draw, as well as clean the coils with an environmentally safe chemical solution. We recommend having your system inspected one to two times per year depending on its age and condition. Please reach out to our team if you have any questions or you’d like to learn more about what we can do for you!