5 Secrets for Getting Your Air Conditioners Ready for summer

You will really get annoyed if you happen to come back from a heavy workout or a jog in the park with the sun beating down on you only to find that your air conditioneris malfunctioning or worse, has stopped working. Perhaps you have been ignoring its noise and low output for long, never dreaming in your worst nightmare that it could stop functioning all of a sudden on a hot, sultry day. If you live in Aurora, you can always call an air conditioning contractor in Aurora to fix the issue. However, it’s important to realize that with a little effort on your part, you can avoid such unwarranted situations with your air conditionerin the future.

Know How the Unit Works

Keeping yourAC unit in working condition is not a big deal if you understand the simple secrets of maintaining it well and know how to let it perform at its best during summer. However, this requires you to have a basic understanding about the parts and functioning of the unit. There are three main parts of an air conditioner:

• The evaporator, which is housed inside your room, has coils, fans, and refrigerants. This unit absorbs the warm air in the room, vaporizes and cools the same.
• The compressor, which is placed outside the AC unit, compresses, pressurizes and increases the temperature of the vapor.
• The condenser, which is also located outside the unit, condenses the heat and changes it into liquid form, which is then emitted.

Whether it is a central air conditioner installation or a lone unit placed in rooms, the principle remains the same. Small efforts and minimum investment of time from your end would ensure consistent performance of your air conditioner for longer periods, which would eventually save your pocket.

To get your air conditioner summer-ready, here the five secrets that you need to take note of:

Secret #1:  Filter Cleaning and Replacement

This is a very simple and basic process that allows you to enjoy the cool air and reduces the pressure on your air conditioning unit. Since the filter tends to accumulate fine dust, it blocks the incoming and outgoing airflow, which in turn creates pressure on the compressor unit. To avoid this, once or twice a month, remove the filter, clean it and fit it right back. It is quite a simple process, which anyone can handle. This process will prevent you from inhaling dirty air. If you find the filter is bent or torn, you should get it replaced immediately.

Secret #2: Attending to Condenser Coils

Since the condenser unit is placed outdoors, it is only natural that the leaves and outside debris would tend to get stuck in the compressor and coil parts. You may cover your compressor unit with a mesh or fine grilled cover to prevent this and maximize condenser performance. It is ideal that you clean the condenser coils twice or thrice a year. You may use coil-cleaning solutions to remove stubborn dirt. On a daily basis, cleaning the area around the condenser unit would help you avoid sudden breakdowns or other problems with your AC unit.

Secret #3: Checking the Duct

It is essential to rule out the possibility of any furniture or curtain rug blocking the airflow into the air conditioner. At times, people tend to be ignorant of this factor and end up facing troubles related to the cooling effect of the unit.

Likewise, it is essential to check if the duct of the air conditioning unitis blocked. There are possibilities of your little one dropping a toy into it or the duct could have some sticky deposits, which has to be cleaned professionally.

Secret #4: Checking the Insulation

If the duct runs through your basement or attic, there are possibilities that there is an insulation damage or hole in the duct, which would reduce the cooling effect. This has to be inspected at least once a year.

Secret #5: Checking the Power Connections

When an AC unit malfunctions, the first thing you must do is to check the electrical point and the wires. These could be faulty and may prevent the unit from being turned on. Switch the main power off and be safe when you are trying to rectify such issues.

While some of these issues can be handled on your own, others would require professional handling for your safety and speedy troubleshooting. You may opt for an annual maintenance from a reliable air conditioning repair and maintenancecompany in Aurora that would not only conduct periodical checks to maintain the unit but also save you considerably during major repairs of your air conditioner.

About The Author

Taufiq Raihan

I am Taufiq Raihan, the owner and service manager at  Parker Service Company. With an experience of over 2 decades, I have gained enough knowledge about the installation and repair work of various HVAC appliances that one uses in his day to day life. Coming across a number of clients who have no idea about the maintenance and the care that these appliances need, I have made it a point that I pen down my knowledge and experience about every issue that I come across. I love exploring newer methods to solve problems and read a lot of technology blogs that guide me through. I feel blogging is the best way to reach out to help a larger number of people to help them deal with their HVAC problems.