With the weather warming up and the smell of BBQ in the air, it’s time to get your air conditioner ready for summer. During the winter months while the heat is on, your air conditioner can collect debris. It’s important to know how to care for your A/C unit so you won’t be left without air conditioning during the first hot days of the year. Here’s how to ensure energy efficiency and reliability from your air conditioning unit.

Always Clean or Change the Air Filter

This is easy and really important. After a cold winter, it’s likely your indoor filter has gathered a lot of debris and dust. If your A/C unit has a reusable air filter, be sure to clean it—this can reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 15%. It’s best to clean or change air filters twice a year to keep your air conditioner running smoothly. This also improves the air quality in your home.

Check for Debris & Other Hazards

First, if you covered the outdoor coil for protection during the winter months, remove the cover before starting the system. Keeping the cover on when the A/C is on could severely damage your air conditioning system. Next, remove debris from the outdoor coil by using a vacuum and rag to clean the fan blades. 

As You Get Your Air Conditioner Ready for Summer, Be Sure to Clean the Condensing Coils

Inside the A/C’s metal box, there’s a large fan that moves air across the radiator-style condenser coils. Anything that obstructs air flow will inhibit the condenser’s efficiency, so we suggest coils be cleaned at the start of summer. While you can do this yourself, we recommend having a professional assist you to properly clean the condensing coils so there’s no permanent damage inflicted on the air conditioning unit.

Finally, Check Coolant Lines and Test the Unit

Check for frayed or missing insulation on the coolant lines. Typically, foam insulation covers the refrigerant pipes that run from the evaporator on the air handler to the condenser outside. To replace them, you can install foam insulation sleeves or you can spiral-wrap the lines with insulation tape.  After completing these steps, allow the unit to dry completely. Then, turn the home power to the condenser back on and switch the thermostat to “Cool”. If your A/C unit still isn’t working properly after these steps, give us a call—we’re available 24/7 for emergency repairs.

All Points Heating & Cooling

With a bit of preparation, your air conditioning unit will be in tip-top shape when the you’re ready to turn off the heat for the spring and summer months. Follow the steps above for your home or business and improve the efficiency and safety of your A/C unit. The All Points Heating team members are experts in A/C maintenance and can help you through each step of this essential process—call us today!

Getting Your Air Conditioner Ready for Summer in the Seattle Area

Serving Arlington, Renton, Bellevue, Shoreline, Seattle, Redmond, Bothell, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Everett, Marysville, Mill Creek, Woodinville, Kirkland, & Mercer Island 

Posted on April 6, 2020 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business