Environment
2008-05-01 13:20:00
Getting ready for summer
QUESTION: I want to make sure my air conditioner is ready for the summer coming on…what should I do right now?
ANSWER: As early as you can, you should take a few steps to make sure your A/C is in proper working order for this upcoming sweltering season in Kansas. Sometimes we go directly from cold weather right into summer temps, without much of a spring transition. If you wait till the heat is here, you’ll experience a waiting period getting someone out to inspect and maintain your unit for the optimum performance that you want. Don’t do that!
With good maintenance, your air conditioner should last 15 years or longer, keeping you as cool as you want to be in your home. You can keep your system running very efficiently with some easy tips. If you are able to perform the proper checks and inspections, then do that. If you don’t know how to do these inspections, then you should call a professional technician to drop by and help you out, before you need him. He’ll check your system’s refrigerant pressures, electrical connections and components, clean the A/C condensing unit outside, check the furnace blower, and make sure the condensate tube is draining freely. If it isn’t, he’ll remove it, and make certain the drainage passageway is open from the condensation that forms on the A-coil. If you see water running down the sides of your furnace when the A/C is running, the condensate line could be plugged up and will need to be properly cleaned out before running that system all summer.
Change or clean the furnace filter once a month, yes, even in the summer. This is especially important during the summer, when dust and allergens circulate throughout the air ducts in your home. The blower on the furnace is what circulates the cool air from the ac unit throughout your home, just as it does the warm air in the wintertime.
If you decide to tackle the cleaning job outside yourself, you need to first turn the electrical power off to the A/C unit located outside. There is an electrical disconnect box usually located on the house close to the A/C unit. You will need to open the disconnect box and pull out the fuse block then close the box so that no water gets in it and lay the fuse block aside so that it does not get wet. If the A/C unit’s aluminum finned coil is exposed, you are now ready to start cleaning it. If the coil is not exposed, the units outer casing must be removed. Once you have the coil exposed you may start cleaning by spraying it with a water hose starting at the top and working your way down to the bottom. Be sure and direct the water spray at a downward angle this will keep water out of the fan motor and the electrical compartment. All of the water should drain out the bottom of the unit. If it doesn’t, the holes provided by the manufacturer are plugged with debris and need to be cleaned out. Be sure and let the unit dry out adequately before reconnecting the power! A dirty A/C system will result in higher electric costs for cooling, and you won’t get the maximum cooling for your dollars. This is very important. A clean A/C system can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 30%!
Keep plantings at least two feet away from your A/C unit outside for adequate airflow around the entire unit. Good air movement is critical for maximum cooling, no matter which brand of A/C you have.
Make sure your air filtration system is adequate and that all of your system’s air is getting filtered. I have seen many air systems with gaps around the air filter or the wrong size filter installed. If you or any member of your family suffers from allergies and/or asthma, it would be a very good idea to contact a heating and cooling contractor about installing a high efficiency air filter. There are some excellent filtration systems available today that really do work well.
Have your duct work inspected every few years to see if it should be cleaned. If it does contact an air duct cleaning specialist. Keep furniture and drapes away from registers.
It’s important to have your air conditioning system inspected by a service technician, and you should call that technician before you’re sitting there in a sweat wishing you would have called before you actually needed him. A $70-$100 annual tune-up can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 30% In today’s world, that can add up. Maintaining your equipment can help prevent having to replace your HVAC units before you’ve gotten the full life out of them, and that’s also important!
Of course, the best way to prolong the life of your air conditioner is to never use it. In Kansas, that suggestion is not too practical. There are lots of additional easy ways to keep your cool without losing all of your cash to the energy company. Plant some trees in locations that will assist in keeping the sun off of your home and windows, as well as your cooling unit. Use floor or ceiling fans to help circulate air throughout the house. Install a whole-house fan. That can lower the indoor temperature by ten degrees in just a few minutes. Make sure your attic is properly ventilated, and make sure you have good insulation. A combination of ridge and soffit or gable vents can help reduce cooling costs by ten percent. Shade your south and west facing windows with blinds or drapes during the hottest parts of the day. Turn off lights you don’t need to have on right now. And finally, wait to use heat producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and clothes dryers until later evening. For a better, more comfortable summer, call an HVAC tech in the spring, before you find out your unit just isn’t up for the task at hand. More next month…
