Help Your A/C Unit, Help You! 

Summer time is no time to neglect your HVAC system. During this peak season with high temperatures (and depending on where you are living, high humidity), your air conditioner is working overtime to keep you nice and comfortable inside your home. Here is what you need to consider doing to help your air conditioner do it’s job: 

Get your A/C system serviced professionally.

The best thing to do is to be proactive, plan ahead and get your A/C checked out before it starts to get hot. Even if your system is relatively new, you want to get your heating and cooling system maintained at the change of seasons. This preventative service can keep your system operating smoothly and will help you avoid many emergency problems.

Sign up for a yearly maintenance contract with a HVAC company.

Having a service contract with a cooling and heating company means that they will reach out to you before the change of every season and your system will get serviced at the appropriate time (one less thing for you to have to keep track of!). Plus, if you do have any emergencies in the middle of the season, your service call will be a priority and move to the top of their list. If your furnace has ever gone out in the middle of a blizzard or your air conditioner has gone kaput during a heat wave in the dead of summer, you will want and appreciate that priority status! 

Clear away debris around your outside air conditioning unit.

Make sure you don’t have shrubs, weeds or other growth too close to your unit. You want it to work properly and be as efficient as possible. Leaves and other debris can sometimes accumulate around the unit. Clean the area with a broom or garden hose, but avoid using a pressure washer as the spray is often strong enough to do more damage than good. 

Clean and replace your unit’s air filters. 

Don’t forget to do this and stick to your manufacturer’s recommendations. Your A/C unit will be working in overdrive to keep you cool, so do your part to make it work effectively. You can order air filters online to keep it simple and easy. At a minimum, these filters should be changed at least every 90 days, but during peak use times (summer and winter), you should change them every 30 days when the system is working its hardest. If you have pets that shed hair or have been doing any interior remodeling, consider changing them more often to maintain proper airflow. 

If you forget to look at which was the old filter was facing when you are switching them out, remember  to make sure the arrow on the filter  is pointing towards the HVAC unit/ wall, and not pointing back towards you!

Flush A/C Drain Line with Vinegar:

Before moving to Florida, I had never heard of cleaning the air conditioner with vinegar in water. My technician advised me to once per month, turn off the system at the thermostat and breaker, pour a cup of distilled vinegar in the drain line (PVC pipe) and let it sit for 30 minutes before flushing the pipe out with warm water. This will help to kill any harmful bacteria that may be building up, preventing a clog from mold/ algae build up, etc.

Disclaimer: For any specific questions on how to properly perform maintenance, please contact a local, trusted HVAC technician who is familiar with the appropriate service best practices for your area, climate and specific equipment.

If you would like my list of recommended service providers in either the Greater Denver or Tampa Bay areas, please send me an email and I’d be happy to get that information to you!