During the summer, there are few luxuries that are quite as great as your AC. In fact, it might be downright dangerous for you to deal with certain temperatures without air conditioning. This is why it’s so important to take good care of your AC, especially as summer approaches. Luckily, a little bit of maintenance goes a long way toward preventing expensive air conditioning service calls and keeping your AC running. If you don’t want to spend a single day without air conditioning in the summer, here’s how you can keep the AC in your Minneapolis, MN, home in great shape.
Seasonal Maintenance
Without a doubt the most important thing you can do to keep your AC running smoothly is keep up with maintenance. Just like a car engine, your AC is made up of a lot of different parts that can have problems. If there’s something wrong with a bearing, belt or motor somewhere in your AC unit, it can cause problems with the entire unit. Seasonal air conditioning service can prevent these types of problems and improve efficiency.
Seasonal maintenance includes cleaning your AC unit and inspecting various components to make sure there aren’t any problems. If there are signs of early wear and tear or if a part is broken or about to break, an air conditioning service expert can spot that before it leaves you without heat in the middle of the summer. Not only that, you can save a lot of money by taking care of problems early on before they lead to HVAC emergencies or serious problems that warrant a whole new AC.
The best way to make sure your AC is running smoothly year after year is to have seasonal maintenance done at least twice every year. It’s best to do this during the spring and fall since these are the times when most households use heating and cooling the least. Plus, you can make sure your HVAC system is ready for the upcoming demanding season without having to worry about having it serviced when you need it most.
Air Filters
Even if you’re not going to keep up with twice-yearly seasonal maintenance for your HVAC system, you still need to maintain a fresh air filter. Everything that passes through your HVAC system eventually goes through the air filter where contaminants are removed, making this one of the most essential parts of your AC in more than one way.
The first and most important reason to make sure you have a fresh air filter on your AC is to prevent any airflow problems. Air must flow from parts of your HVAC system into your home with little to no interruption to keep your home at the right temperature. A lack of airflow means your AC isn’t running as efficiently as it could be, and that could even cause it to blow out warm air. Having an air conditioning service expert change the air filter on your AC can help prevent this problem.
Another big reason to keep an eye on your air filter is the fact that it plays a huge role in indoor air quality. The air filter in your HVAC system is designed to filter contaminants out of the air before you breathe them in. If you haven’t had air conditioning service done in a while, you might have an old air filter that’s causing respiratory irritation and making it unpleasant to be in your home. A fresh air filter gives you a big upgrade in terms of both efficiency and air quality, especially if you get a high-quality air filter.
Operation
One thing you can never forget about when it comes to your AC is that you have a lot of control when it comes to operating it. While you might not be able to handle seasonal air conditioning service on your own, you can definitely make an effort to push your AC a little less so you don’t have to worry about it going bad anytime soon.
If you like your Minneapolis, MN, home at a particular temperature, you might try bumping that temperature up a few degrees. 68 degrees may still feel cool and comfortable to you, and that will require a lot less energy than keeping your home at 64 degrees. If you’re not sure how you should be using your AC to get the best cooling and longevity, an air conditioning service expert can give you some tips.
Set a Schedule
If you’re looking for a simple way to take some of the stress off your AC, you can set a heating and cooling schedule so you don’t have to worry about manually making adjustments. The big benefit to this is that you can use your heating and cooling a little less when you’re not at home. By changing the temperature when you’re away at work, taking a vacation or even sleeping for the night, you can save money on air conditioning service and reduce stress on your AC.
You don’t have to be particularly strict when it comes to setting a heating and cooling schedule; even a slight reduction in HVAC system use a few hours a day can make a big difference. Of course, one of our air conditioning service pros can help you set up a schedule that works for you if you’re not sure what to do.
Make the Call
Taking good care of your air conditioner is the best way to keep it running for years to come, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy job. Luckily, an expert can help take some of the stress out of the process.
If you’re in the Minneapolis, MN, area, the air conditioning service experts at Blue Ox Heating & Air can help you keep your AC in pristine condition. Whether you have a problem that needs fixed or you want to set up a seasonal maintenance schedule, give us a call at (952) 213-3956.
