An air conditioner plays a very important role in keeping your home comfortable when it’s hot outside. Without that cold air, things can get unbearable very quickly. While this air conditioning system might work in the background of most homes, it’s important not to ignore it.
If you don’t maintain your air conditioner well, issues can occur that can be difficult and expensive to deal with. But how? What sorts of things should you be doing to keep your HVAC system in good shape?
Without any further ado, here are a couple of useful tips to keep your air conditioner in great condition.
Get it Inspected and Serviced Frequently
The first, and likely best, thing you should do to keep your air conditioner in great shape is to have professionals come check it out frequently. At least once a year, you should have someone come out and make sure everything is working as it should.
Some issues may not be obvious to you, and there can be warning signs that you may miss that these experts will be able to catch and get fixed before they become a major problem. These inspections are generally affordable, and can prolong the lifetime of your air conditioner.
There are likely many companies who specialize in air conditioning repair and inspection in your area, so take time to find the right one. They should be experienced, have a good track record and solid reviews, and be educated and up-to-date in the space.
Ensure the Ducts are Clean and Not Damaged
The ducts in your home play a very important role when it comes to your AC and HVAC system as a whole. They are what will transport the cool air throughout the different rooms in your home and keep you comfortable. But if these ducts are damaged in some way, it can have an impact on the entire system as a whole.
This damage could be some blockages that are restricting airflow, or even gaps or leaks that are leading to loss of the cool air, and rendering your HVAC system less effective. Thankfully, stopping air leaks in HVAC systems can often be relatively easy and quick in many cases.
Of course, if your basement is completely finished, accessing your ducts may be more challenging, but cleaning and repairing them can still be done. In this case, it is best to reach out to a professional and explain your situation and see what course of action they will recommend.
Change Out the Filters Often Enough
Your air conditioner will feature a filter that helps not only keep the air clear, but keep debris from getting into your HVAC system. But over time, this filter will become full of dust, dirt and other debris that it has blocked and caught. Because of this, you need to ensure you are changing out this filter often enough.
If you don’t change them out, it will be bad for your air quality, and can also make your AC work harder to keep your home cool, which will increase your cooling costs. Most air filters are both affordable and easy to change, so there is no excuse to make sure you put a fresh one in every now and then.
As far as how often you change your air filter, it will depend on a couple of things. Some cheaper filters may need to be changed monthly, while others may be able to last three months or so. Also, if you have pets or children, you may want to change out the filter more often, too.
In conclusion, these tips and guidelines will make sure that your air conditioner stays in great shape going forward.
