As temperatures rise, you may feel happy to put away your winter coat and boats. However, before forecasts notify you about the first real heat wave of the spring or summer season, you also need to be evaluating and checking out your A/C system. These tasks ensure that a heat wave won't prevent cool air from making your family comfortable.
Clear Area and Coils
After the last hot day of summer, you probably forgot about the A/C system altogether. Twigs, dead leaves, and various property debris has probably blown into the casing of the main HVAC unit. These items can interfere with the fans and coils, which may have dust or dirt on them. Clear out any visible debris and brush off the coils with an old or unused toothbrush before firing up the system.
Check Coolant Lines
The tubes that lead the cool air into your house are every bit as important as the main HVAC unit. Over the past autumn and winter, they might have been torn or bitten by small pests. Do your best to follow them from the HVAC unit to where they enter your home; if they're damaged, contact professionals. If they're not insulated or the insulation is torn, get insulation sleeves from the nearest big box retailer.
Check Drain Line
The drain line can be the source of problems and often goes unchecked. It's meant to drain water out of the system, and any clogs or obstructions can create a backup that causes water damage to the entire system. In addition, it can trigger automatic shutdown of the main HVAC unit and you'll be toasting indoors without realizing why. Look at the line to see if it's clear or get an HVAC professional to help.
Open Supply Vents
In the house itself, it's possible that you closed off the vents. You're likely to open a few now, but take care to ensure all supply vents are kept open throughout the hot seasons. If you don't, pressure may build within the home's ducts. That could have serious ramifications for the HVAC unit's blower, which will need to work that much harder to cool the place, and your utility bills could ultimately show that.
This season's first heat wave won't be uncomfortable for you if you take a few minutes to observe and take action on these A/C suggestions. For even more confidence, consider asking about air conditioning services from local HVAC contractors.
It's never easy to admit that you could use a little help with your home appliances, especially if you know that you caused part of the problem. I was left dealing with a problem with my garbage disposal a few years ago, and I realized that it had to do with the fact that I put just about everything I could think of down the drain instead of using the trashcan. I began working hard to talk with different professionals about how to fix things, and it was super fun to learn about the ways we could change the appliances I had. Now all of my appliances work great, and I made a blog about how to make things better.