10 Cooling System Tips for Spring
By
Larry Montague, General Manager, Comfort Systems USA Intermountain
1.
Go outside and check your air conditioner’s condenser or outdoor
coil to make sure there is no debris or vegetation within a foot of
it. The unit needs to draw in air and if it is obstructed, your
system will not work as efficiently and could fail to work properly.
If your unit is on the roof, make sure safe access is available.
2.
Turn off the circuit breaker to your air conditioner and while the
power is off, clean the unit off with a light spray from a hose to
remove any remnants of the winter elements.
3.
On
your condenser, check for degradation of insulation and loose
connections on your refrigeration piping and electrical connections,
replace them as needed. Rooftop units may not have external piping
that won’t require checking.
4.
If
you have a rooftop unit, inspect condensate drain, the drain line
(usually white plastic) that is attached to the outside of the unit,
and make sure it has properly installed P-traps, the curved part of
the pipe of the condensate drain.
5.
If
you have a split system air conditioner and have turned off the
power for the winter, remember to turn it back on at least 24 hours
before you want to use the AC so it can warm up for the hard work
ahead.
6.
Change
the filter in your furnace and/or rooftop unit. For optimum air
quality and to extend the life of your unit, most filters should be
changed once a month. Higher quality filters can also be an
excellent way to combat allergies and dusty summers. There may also
be grills or registers inside of the building with filters that may
require replacement.
7.
Check
all of your air vents to ensure they are open, clean and unblocked.
It is important to check both the supply and return vents.
8.
Make
sure there is no office equipment that runs hot or cold in an area
that will affect the thermostat. For example do not put a computer
that gets hot directly under the thermostat or the system will
measure the actual room temperature incorrectly.
9.
Change the batteries in your thermostat if required. Check the
thermostats program settings to make sure it is set to the correct
day and time as well as the desired temperature set points and hours
of operation.
10.
Schedule
a quarterly planned maintenance check-up with a licensed, bonded and
insured HVAC contractor, like Comfort Systems USA Intermountain, to
ensure your system is working properly and efficiently year-round.
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