As the weather warms up in Chicago, it’s time to start thinking about the spring and summer months ahead. Make sure your air conditioner is in good shape for those peak months of use with these simple tips from Lakeview Heating and Cooling.
Is your air conditioner ready to handle the heat? Here are our tips for preparing your AC for the spring and summer!
Seasonal AC maintenance
Remove any covers from your AC unit
This may seem like an obvious step. You’d be surprised how many people forget and how much damage running the air conditioning with the cover can do to the system. Even a short time can lead to overheating or burnout.
During the winter, condenser covers and coil blankets protect your system from the elements. Take them off now so that they do not limit airflow and heat transfer. Running the AC for even a short time with these in place can damage your system.
Inspect the outdoor unit
Check out the panels to make sure they are in place and correctly aligned. Inspect the outdoor coil for leaves and debris and remove any that you find. Look over the lines that run from your outdoor unit to your home’s indoor air handler. If the insulation on them is missing or damaged, have us replace it. Proper insulation is needed to keep your unit running the way that it should.
Clean your AC
This isn’t just a good tip for spring and summer months; it comes in handy year-round. Keep the space around your air conditioning unit clean, and make sure the unit itself stays clean too.
Go outdoors and clean any debris—leaves, branches, and the like—from around and atop the air conditioning unit. Once that’s done, hose off any dirt and pollen off the outside, and inspect the exterior for damage or rust. Since you’ll probably be doing some landscaping, it’s a good idea to repeat this step as needed; the unit needs unobstructed airflow, so keeping lawn debris off helps keep your unit working right.
Check the drainage of your air conditioner
When an air conditioner is working right, condensation occurs. But if that water is left to accumulate, it can result in mold growth and rust, so make sure that the unit is draining properly, with the condensate being diverted away from the unit.
Replace your AC filters
Once you’ve finished your work outdoors, come back inside and replace your filters. The springtime is prime time for allergens, and a dirty filter is going to keep circulating allergen-containing air throughout your home. This is also the right time to clean supply and return vents, and to have your ductwork cleaned.
According to the Department of Energy, this is the maintenance task that provides the best improvement in your AC’s efficiency. Clean or change indoor filters often to keep air flowing smoothly.
Test your air conditioning system by turning it on
Once you’ve completed these steps, it’s time to test your air conditioner. It may be cool out right now, but you’re better off spotting a potential issue before the temperature spikes.
When you are done doing all of the seasonal maintenance, turn on the system and wait for it to start. A few minutes after it’s started running, check to make sure that there is cool air coming out of all of the registers. If there is no air flow or if the air does not feel cool, that is a sign that something is wrong. The air conditioning should be responding properly to your thermostat settings, and should be blowing cold air.
Attending maintenance before the warm season kicks into gear means a more comfortable summer and a longer life for your home’s HVAC systems. Is it time for an inspection or a repair? We provide the air conditioning repair Chicago homeowners need. Get in touch today to get your system into shape and keep your home cool.
Keep your AC clean and functional before it gets too hot out
There’s an easier way to do all of this: call Lakeview Heating and Cooling for Chicago HVAC service. Your AC works hard over the summer, but even inactivity during the winter months takes its toll.
We can inspect, clean, and tune-up your system now so that when the weather warms up, you’re ready. If repairs are needed, you’ll have an easier time getting them done now rather than waiting for them in the hot weather when everyone who didn’t think to call us earlier is lined up for badly-needed repairs and service.
One last thing to remember: if you’ve been relying on window units all this time and finding that they’re not quite up to the task, call us. We’ll help you size, choose, and even handle HVAC installation for your Chicago home!