Are you prepared for the coming summer heat? Do you know what to do if your air conditioner suddenly gives out? While actually fixing your air conditioner is something that should only be performed by a qualified ac repair professional, not every issue is one that requires professional assistance. Sometimes, all you need to do is some minor maintenance. If your air conditioner is refusing to do its job correctly, here are some things to check on before calling your local repair company:
Change the filters: Newer air filters sometimes say that they can be good for up to 3 or 4 months. This may be true if you live in an area with relatively little dust and pollution, but it's not going to be universally true. Using the phrase "up to" in reference to how long an air filter might last is relatively meaningless. You should always check out your filter or filters monthly to see whether or not they're too dirty to use. A dirty filter will make it difficult for your air conditioner to pull air through. Some air conditioners will automatically shut off if it becomes too difficult to draw air while others will continue to run and possibly burn out their motor, necessitating an expensive AC repair. Checking on your filter regularly will help prevent that from happening.
Change batteries: Your air conditioner may not run on or use batteries, but your thermostat might. A newer digital thermostat may be hooked up to your home's electrical current for most things while still having batteries installed so that they can save settings in the event of a power outage. Unlike a smoke detector, a thermostat may not start beeping if the batteries get low. However, the thermostat may no longer properly tell the air conditioner when it's time to turn on. Although it might seem like it's time to call an AC repair technician, simply replacing the thermostat batteries may restore your air conditioner to its correct functioning.
Clean vent openings: The vent openings, or registers, in an air conditioning system can become clogged with dust in the same way that air filters can. Simply cleaning the exterior of the vents with your regular dusting may not be sufficient. You may have to either remove the registers yourself or else hire someone to do it for you. Use a feather-type duster to clean just inside the vent opening. You may need to use a damp cloth to get all of the dust off of the register itself. Once your registers have been cleaned out, you may find that an AC repair isn't actually necessary after all.
Share24 April 2017
Have you ever stopped to think about the general health of your air conditioner? Although it might seem like a silly thing to worry about, air conditioners need a little tender loving care just like any other home appliance. Unfortunately, it can be hard to detect issues until your system sputters to a halt one day. My blog is all about improving your HVAC experience by learning how to keep it on point. On my blog, you will learn how to check for air conditioning problems, troubleshoot your system, and even find the perfect replacement--should you need to upgrade your system.