When you’re A/C isn’t properly cooling your home, don’t automatically assume you need a new one. A little A/C maintenance and troubleshooting can go a long way, and it will help you get more from the A/C throughout our blistering Yuma summer.
Here’s How to Get More Fom the A/C This Summer:
- Check for leaky ductwork. If your ductwork has been damaged or wasn’t installed correctly, the cool, conditioned air from your A/C will not reach its intended destination in your home. Inspect the sections you can see yourself. The ducts should be mechanically connected (with screws) and sealed using an airtight putty or mastic sealant. If you can see holes or feel air leaking from the joints in your ductwork, your A/C is working overtime and not cooling efficiently.
- Keep your A/C clean. Aside from the filter, which should be changed monthly during the height of the cooling season, the condenser coil in the outdoor unit needs to be cleaned yearly. To clean the condenser coil, and get more from the A/C, follow these steps:
- Cut the power to your A/C at the breaker box, and switch it off at the thermostat as well.
- Find a stiff brush, or a shop-vac with a brush attachment, and clean last year’s debris off the inside and outside of the condenser (you’ll need a screwdriver to remove the fan assembly). Don’t bend the fins; they’re essential for the proper operation of your A/C.
- Once you’re finished, take a garden hose and gently wash the rest of the debris and dust out, then replace the fan.
- Wait 24 hours, and turn the A/C back on.
- You should also clean the evaporator coil. It’s located inside the air handler, and shouldn’t be difficult to get to. After you remove the access panel, spray the coil with a self-foaming evaporator coil cleaner, which you can find at a home improvement store.
- If you’re not a DIY’er, or just don’t have the time to keep up on maintenance, call your HVAC contractor and sign up for an annual maintenance agreement. They’ll make sure your equipment is working at top efficiency year round.
When it’s time to call the professionals, please contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Co. We provide exceptional services in the Yuma area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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