Air Conditioning Maintenance

How to Prepare Your AC Unit for Fall Getting your home and appliances ready for the fall and winter months takes a bit of preparation. When the air starts to turn cool, it’s time to get your AC unit ready to rest for a season. Air conditioning maintenance can be simple or a little more involved depending on the type of unit that you have. If you have any concerns about prepping your unit for fall, call on a professional for help. Here are some tips to help you out. If you have a portable unit, all you need to do is detach it, clean it, and store it. It is that simple. Don’t forget to change any filters if your unit needs it. For air conditioning maintenance of a centralized system, you will need to change out the filters and inspect the system to make sure it is still clean. Having a professional come in and clean your central system before fall should help to keep the air in your home cleaner and your family healthier throughout the season. Your system should be cleaned twice a year. You should also change out your filters twice a year. If your unit is located outdoors or is an HVAC unit, you might need to do a little more preparation. You will want to start by switching the unit off, which will help to keep it from accidentally kicking on if the temperature rises. You will then want to take a hose and wash off all of the debris and dirt that has gathered on the unit over the spring and summer. Once you have finished washing it, let it completely dry. The next step in your outdoor air conditioning maintenance is to take care of the pipes. You will want to cover exposed pipes with foam to keep them from freezing. Pipes that freeze may potentially crack or break, especially if there is water inside of them. You can keep foam pipe covers in place with duct tape. Once the unit is clean and the pipes are covered with foam, you will want to cover the unit itself. You can purchase plastic or vinyl covers for your unit. You will want something that is waterproof and designed to cover an AC unit. You can keep the cover in place by wrapping bungee cords or ropes around it. Make sure whatever you use to wrap around the cover is also vinyl and waterproof. Wrapping cords around the cover will keep it from blowing away. Although you may think that is the end of your air conditioning maintenance for the fall and winter, you will still want to check on the unit regularly to make sure that the cover is still in place. It also helps to brush off debris like sticks, pine cones, and even snow and water off of your unit. Depending on the type of AC unit that you have, your fall air conditioning maintenance may be very simple or a little more involved. Follow the steps listed above to get your unit and home ready for the cooler months. If you have any apprehension about preparing your unit on your own, it doesn’t hurt to call in a professional to handle it for you. Either way, getting your unit ready for fall is an important part of taking care of your home. Make sure it is on your fall to-do list.]]>