As the summer comes to a close in Huntington and the breezy fall weather arrives, it’s time to put your air conditioning system to bed. If you intend to perform many of these tasks yourself, it’s best to plan out a good half a day. The alternative is to enlist a competent air conditioning technician from Variable Comfort Solutions to complete the job for you.
Listen to Your System
The first maintenance task on your list should be to take a few minutes and listen to your air conditioning system. You should stand by the indoor unit and the outdoor unit for at least a minute each to listen for any sounds you may not have noticed. Light humming, hissing or vibrating noises can be early warning signs of future trouble.
Be Mindful of Odd Smells
Smells are another problem that may come on slowly over time. You might not notice them until you pay particular attention. Take a few moments to walk around all of the vents and ensure there are no odd smells like gunpowder, garbage or mildew.
Replace Your AC Filter
Next, you’ll want to check your air filter to see if it needs to be replaced. A good rule of thumb is to replace your filter if you can’t see through it. If you can still see through your filter, you can leave it in for a little while longer. It’s best to check your air filter once a month to see if it needs to be changed out.
Clean the Vents
This is a great time to pull out your vacuum and suck up the dust and other debris that is accumulating in the vents. It’s also a good idea to get a wet cloth and wipe down all of the grates. This will enhance your indoor air quality and help to extend the life of your air filter.
Clean the Evaporator Coil
Before you attempt to do any cleaning of your air conditioning system, you’ll want to shut the power off at the circuit breaker. Always remember to consider personal safety first.
Start by cleaning the evaporator coil. It will most likely have a large amount of stuck-on debris. It’s recommended to use a specialized foam coil cleaner. This will do the hard work for you and save straining your arm by endlessly scrubbing.
Move on to the Drain
Once the foaming agent falls off the evaporator coil, it’s time to clean the condensate drain. You should remove any loose debris by hand. Mix up a solution of bleach and water. By pouring this solution down the drain, you should be able to break up any stuck-on debris and hard water scaling.
Check System Wiring
While you have the access panel off of your indoor air conditioning system components, it’s a good time to check your system’s wiring. You’re looking for any wiring that is loose, rusting or fraying. Loose wiring can be easily tightened down. Rusted and frayed wiring should be handled by an expert who is familiar with the wiring of your system.
Clean the Condenser Unit
Head outside and remove the cover to your condenser. You’ll want to wash the metal cover off and remove any debris that is stuck in any of the openings. Next, grab the hose or vacuum and remove any loose debris like twigs and leaves that have found their way inside the unit.
You’ll want to grab another foaming coil cleaner to handle the outdoor condenser coil. Be mindful of the cleanser that you purchase. Due to its exposure to the outside elements, the condenser coil tends to get more stuck-on debris than the evaporator coil. It’s very likely that you’ll need to spray on the foaming cleanser and wait for a specified period of time before proceeding.
Once your condenser coil is cleaned off, it’s time to spray out your entire system. Be careful to remove any loose debris that is stuck in the fins. Next, you’ll want to straighten out any of the fins that have become bent. It’s very common for fins to be bent over time by flying debris. Make sure you fasten the cover back down tightly.
Unrivaled AC System Maintenance
If that sounds like a lot of work, remember that Variable Comfort Solutions is here to provide the Huntington community with outstanding air conditioning maintenance. Besides, there are aspects of it that only a professional should perform. We also offer heating, cooling and indoor air quality installation, maintenance and repair services for all our loyal customers. Just give us a call today to schedule your next appointment with our experienced technicians.
