The birds are chirping and the weather is changing everyday. As we approach spring, and temperatures rise, it may be time to start up your homes cooling system. We always recommend you should do each spring before you start using your AC.
1) Check Your Air Filter
Checking and replacing your air filter can be the difference in a late night after hours call due to a system freeze-up, and sitting back and enjoying your family. Most standard filters are recommended to be replaced every 30 days. Other filtration devices can last upwards of a year. Refer to your contractor to know what kind of filter you have and how often you should replace it.
2) Inspect Your Coil
Depending on your particular system and installation, the indoor coil might not be accessible by you to inspect, you can however inspect the condition of your outdoor coil. If there is debris visible on your outdoor coil, it would be recommended to call your contractor to preform a cleaning service. A licensed contractor will pull the fan housing off of the unit and spray the unit clean from the inside out to remove any debris. Another way to tell if your coil is clogged up is by preforming the Dollar Bill Test. To preform this test, simply take a dollar bill and hold it up against the sides of your outdoor unit. If the dollar bill clings tight, air is passing through it properly, however, if the dollar bill does not cling to the unit, your coil is most likely clogged and needing to be cleaned by a professional.
3) Check Your Temperatures
So you have replaced your filter and you have inspected your coil. All systems go. For this step, you will need a thermometer. I recommend a digital thermometer just for ease and simplicity. Turn your AC on and let it run for approximately 15 minutes. Stick your thermometer in your return grate (this is the area where your air filter goes), and record the air temperature entering the unit. Then, stick your thermometer in a supply vent (this is the one where the air blows out), and record that temperature. Subtract your first reading from the second and you should have a difference in temperature of around 15-20 degrees. If the temperature difference is lower than 15 degrees, you should call your contractor to have the system inspected. Your unit may not be cooling as effectively as it should be due to a magnitude of possible reasons.
Comments