Summer is fun, but it’s also very hot. And unless your A/C is working perfectly, you’ll spend these months sweltering! You can beat the heat with some simple summer HVAC maintenance tips. We’ve put some of the best tips together so you can help your family keep their cool!

ROOM TO BREATHE

When you think about summer HVAC maintenance tips for the summer, you’re probably thinking about the kinds of things you can do indoors. While we have plenty of ideas for that, our first tip actually starts outside the house.

The efficiency of your air conditioning often comes down to how efficiently the outdoor unit can pull air in. And if you’ve been letting your yard go (or maybe we should say letting it “grow”), then it can disrupt the unit itself.

Fortunately, this is a quick enough fix. Any weeds or other vegetation should be no closer than two feet away from the unit. Use things like lawn mowers and weed eaters to give the unit space to breathe!

REPLACE THE FILTERS

Let’s be real. Air conditioning filters are annoying. They are annoying to install, to buy, and to replace. Here’s the rub, though. They also help keep your bill lower than it otherwise would be!

Ideally, you are replacing these filters every month to ensure that air can flow through your home in a clean and efficient manner. Even if you’ve been slacking, though, the start of summer is the perfect time to replace all the filters throughout your home!

CHECK THE INSULATION

When you see your power bill going up, that’s your cue to go into detective mode. It’s worth inspecting everything from your thermostat to the unit itself to see what’s going on. Sometimes the problem is much simpler, though. Your insulation may be poor.

Specifically, the insulation around your coolant pipe may be torn or otherwise damaged. This means that you are losing cool air, all while paying a higher bill for the privilege.  We highly recommend having a professional inspect your coolant line. They can diagnose any damage to the existing insulation and replace it as quickly as possible, letting you get your cool air back!

SEAL THE DUCTS

Torn insulation is not the only way that precious cool air is able to escape. This is why you should have the various ducts and open spaces of your home inspected by a professional!

If things like doors and windows are not properly sealed, it causes cool air to leak out. Similarly, cooling ducts and other spaces with poor seals are just bleeding cool air out while also bleeding your wallet dry.

A professional can quickly check all of these areas and insure that you have the maximum possible seal. And such a service practically pays for itself when you see how much money you’re going to save each month!

CLEAN THE A/C

Earlier, we talked about the importance of clearing the area around your air conditioning unit and how you should cut the vegetation around it to allow the unit to breathe. However, make sure you don’t forget to have the unit itself cleaned!

Dirt and other debris can get inside the unit and effectively clog up things like the screens and coils. And like any other obstruction, this cuts into the overall efficiency of the unit.

If you are savvy around A/C units, it’s possible to clean this on your own. However, it can be dangerous to you, and we certainly don’t want you to damage any equipment; that’s why we recommend calling a pro!

SHUT OFF THE HUMIDIFIER

Your HVAC system is designed to keep you comfortable throughout the year. Whether you need to be cooled down in summer or warmed in winter, it’s here for you. However, many homeowners never consider that they should shut certain features down for particular seasons!

Specifically, we’re talking about the furnace humidifier within your system. This is a feature that is actually at cross purposes with your A/C. Your house gets cooled by removing the moisture from the air. Therefore, you hardly want a separate system making sure that your home stays humid!

You may have a clearly labeled humidifier, and in that case, all you have to do is switch it off. If not, simply move the damper lever to the cooling position in order to route the air away from the furnace humidifier.

INSPECT THE THERMOSTAT

Many homeowners take the thermostat for granted. However, this is something that, when used right, can save you quite a bit of money. And when used wrong—or broken—can quickly turn your home into a cash pit.

First, see if you can find the “sweet spot” of the thermostat. This means finding the temperature your family is comfortable with and that doesn’t leave your A/C chugging hard just to keep up.

Also, pay attention to see if the thermostat is acting oddly or otherwise shows signs of malfunctioning. This may be a sign that it is time to get a new thermostat, and you can potentially take advantage of a modern thermostat that saves energy and money.

For inspecting the old thermostat and installing the new, don’t forget to call a professional!

CHECK CONDENSATION LINES

Our final tip is to have the condensation lines running to your A/C inspected by a professional. This helps you keep the unit running smoothly and can even protect the unit from costly damage.

Long story short, anything that can clog these lines is a threat to the A/C. Some of the best ways to clean it include bleach and other chemicals, which is why we recommend you call a pro to get the job done quickly and safely!

YOUR BOTTOM LINE

You know it’s important to prep your HVAC for summer, and you know it’s important to have a professional you can trust. However, you may not know who you should turn to.

That’s where we come in! One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte is here to take care of all your HVAC needs. From summer HVAC maintenance tips, inspections and recommendations to installations and repair, one call takes care of it all!