You normally welcome the brighter days of summer as a nice change from winter gloom. But the season can also bring sweltering days that are not pleasant to endure. Don’t just turn on your air conditioner at the first sign of heat. Make sure that it’s ready to provide efficient service throughout the coming weeks.

Clean Up the Surroundings

It’s normal to leave your yard alone during the winter months so you don’t have to deal with the ice and snow. But that also means a build-up of leaves, branches and other debris around the condenser unit of your air-conditioner that normally sits outside and next to your home. You need to clear it and its surroundings of any material that could blow against the unit and impair its efficiency. Clear a space at least two or three feet around the condenser, which may include trimming bushes and other foliage, cutting surrounding grass and removing weeds.

Change the Filter

Changing the filter is about the easiest thing you can do to ensure that your air conditioner is ready for use. All it involves is pulling out the old filter and putting in the new ones. A glance at the operating manual will explain how best to do this. You want to change your filter once before the summer begins and then monthly for as long as you continue to use the unit. Otherwise, if you leave the filter in, you risk dirt, allergens and other particulates blowing into your interior and affecting air quality.

Free the Vents

During the winter, you may have covered your A/C vents with holiday decorations, pictures, or furniture just because you weren’t using the air-conditioner. It’s now time to remove any obstructions and make sure that the air flows freely from your vents to your interiors. You may want to vacuum around and inside the vents to eliminate any dust build-up.

Check the Thermostat

Your programmable thermostat is designed to keep your home comfortable while saving your energy. It’s most likely that the schedule for your heating and cooling differ from each other so now is the time to update the programming for the air-conditioner. A good temperature to set your AC is from 76 to 78 degrees while you’re at home and from 80 to 85 degrees while you’re away. Consult your HVAC experts if you need more guidance on what temperature settings are best.

Schedule an Inspection

A professional should inspect your system at least once a year preferably before the summer starts. They will look at every part of your system, including the filter, safety switches, electrical connections, air flow and refrigerant levels. They’ll then make recommendations and perform any fixes or repairs that you approve. You can make this process more stress-free by signing up for an HVAC maintenance plan. This will cover inspections and fixes year round for both your air-conditioner and furnace, and can save you money and time in the long run. 

We can help with all your heating and cooling needs. Schedule your inspection by giving us a call today at Guaranteed Services.