Three Steps to Better AC Maintenance

When you purchase a home, you become responsible for taking care of the systems inside. Regular maintenance and prompt repairs are the best way to ensure that your home runs as efficiently as possible. One of those systems is your air conditioning. While some air conditioning maintenance tasks can be done by professionals, several activities need to be performed by the homeowner in between service calls to extend the life of the unit, which will ultimately help save money. Here are just a few examples of important maintenance tasks. 

1. Change Air Filters

Ideally, you should change the air filters in your home every 3 to 6 months. This ensures that the air is actually getting to your AC unit from your house and the quality of that air is good, too. A dirty air filter can cause breathing and allergy issues, wreaking havoc on your home and your family's health. It is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent major problems from appearing in your home and should be a part of your regular air conditioning maintenance.

2. Clear the Debris

A few times a year, make sure that you walk to wherever your air conditioning unit is and inspect it for debris that may have collected alongside the grates. Leaves, tree branches, and grass clippings can collect along the metal casing and clog up the airflow, which will force your unit to work harder and cause premature wear and tear. If necessary, install a guard around the base of the unit to prevent these types of debris from collecting, but make sure you keep it at least 6 inches from the grates to allow for air to pass through the unit.

3. Clean the Fans

Stay at your air conditioning unit and take the grates off your fan to inspect the fan blades. Older air conditioning units may have dirt and debris that has collected on the fan blades over time; if this is the case, scrub them down with a rag so that the dust particles don't get inside your system. You can also clean the condenser coils if you would like and can reach them, but this might be a little more tricky to navigate. If so, contact an HVAC company to set up a regular air conditioning maintenance schedule to do it for you. 

For more insight, contact local air conditioning companies.