4 Ways To Maintain Your Air Conditioner In The Winter

It's easy to discount your air conditioner with the weather cooling down outside. Unfortunately, becoming too complacent could mean that your AC fails to work next summer. Wondering how you can maintain your AC this winter? Read on to find out your next steps. 

1. Change Air Filters

If you want to keep an efficient air conditioner, you need to replace and clean air filters regularly. Failing to do so means that you are contending with clogs and filth blocking the flow of air. Ultimately, replacing the filter means you are lowering the energy consumption of your air conditioner regularly. If you've wondered why your home is not energy efficient, this could be why.  

2. Replace Coils

Your AC has both evaporator and condenser coils. Each item collects dirt, especially over months of use. Changing the filter prevents the evaporator coil from building up dirt; however, it is not a catch-all. Make sure to change coils each year. This is also a good time to clean out the water pan, which can collect mold and create an unfortunate smell. You can clean the pan yourself with warm water, dish soap, and vinegar.

3. Cover Your Air Conditioner

When the weather cools down, it is time to cover your AC or store it somewhere else. Winter weather can cause a significant amount of damage, so protecting an individual unit from the elements is necessary. This also gives you an opportunity to check the unit over for insect and animal nests, which do commonly develop when units remain sticking outside for long periods of time. If you have a central air system, this is not typically an issue. Plus, leaving the AC in the window can create a draft in the house and lead to higher energy bills.

Additionally, you need to make sure that you store the AC somewhere rodents and other animals cannot chew on wires or turn the unit into a home.

4. Call a Technician

Calling in a technician to look at your AC is a great way to keep it running. Your HVAC contractor will test for leaks, measure airflow moving through the coils, inspect terminals, clean connections, and inspect belts for wear. Your technician will also test the thermostat to ensure that it is accurate.

Ultimately, it is always important to keep up appliances when they are not in use. The AC is no exception. Call an HVAC contractor (such as one from Kennard - Pace Co. Inc) today to set up a tune-up appointment for your system. 


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