As a homeowner, you have a lot of maintenance and repairs to keep up with. This is especially true when it comes to your HVAC system since you rely on it so much during the summer and winter. This is why seasonal AC maintenance is such an important part of keeping your Minneapolis, MN, home at a comfortable temperature. Unfortunately, many homeowners neglect seasonal maintenance and end up with a hefty air conditioning repair bill because of it. If you want to make sure your AC is ready for summer and performing at its best, here’s what you need to do now.
Air Filter
Whether you’re talking about a heating or cooling system, air filters play a crucial role. All the air that comes through your air conditioner goes through an air filter, which is responsible for filtering out contaminants before they enter your home. To prevent this air filter from getting too dirty and restricting airflow, you need to have an air conditioning repair expert change it regularly.
One tough part about keeping a fresh air filter is knowing how often to replace yours. If you live alone in a smaller place with no pets, you can get away with changing your air filter every six months or so. Households with a lot of people or several pets may need a new air filter every month or so to keep air conditioning repair costs at a minimum.
It’s important to understand that there are lots of different air filters out there when it comes to quality. If you want an air filter that removes more contaminants from the air, consider investing in a HEPA filter or a filter with a high MERV rating. An air conditioning repair company can help you determine which filter is right for your home.
Coils
Keeping the coils clean is one of the most important things you can do for your AC if you want it to run smoothly. The evaporator and condenser coils in your AC unit are responsible for creating cool air to send to your home, which means dirty coils will cause serious cooling problems. If you don’t clean your coils for too long, you’ll be left with a hefty air conditioning repair bill.
Whenever you have seasonal maintenance done on your AC, you’ll probably have your coils cleaned. In some cases, the coils may freeze when the unit is running; this is usually caused by a refrigerant leak.
If your coils are dirty or freezing, there are a few things you might notice. For starters, your home might not be nearly as cool as it should be when the AC is running. In some cases, your energy bill will be significantly higher because of the strain dirty coils put on your AC. Worst of all, your AC might stop working completely, in which case you’ll have to call an air conditioning repair expert to help.
Refrigerant
In order for your AC to create cool air on a hot day, it needs a little something extra. There’s a fluid in your AC called refrigerant which is responsible for absorbing heat and allowing your AC to send cool air to your home. When you don’t have enough refrigerant in your AC, it may run inefficiently or even fail to produce cool air at all.
There are some cases where your refrigerant may simply be a little bit low. If that’s the case, you can have your AC unit recharged to get it back up and running again. Unfortunately, that’s generally not the end of the problem. There’s usually a lack of refrigerant in your AC for a reason, and that reason is most often a refrigerant leak. If you notice a strange smell coming from your AC unit, you should have an air conditioning repair expert fix it.
Upgrading
If you’re planning on upgrading your air conditioner or any part of your HVAC system, now is the best time to take care of that. The last thing you want is to have no air conditioning on a hot Minneapolis, MN, summer day.
If you have an older AC, now might be a good time to upgrade to a newer unit. Air conditioners are constantly becoming quieter and more efficient, so there’s plenty of reason to upgrade. On top of that, an outdoor AC unit is only designed to last about 10 to 15 years on average, so yours may be nearing the end of its life.
Another thing you might want to have an air conditioning repair company install before the summer is a new thermostat. Old thermostats tend to be less accurate, causing you to waste money cooling your home. New thermostats aren’t just more accurate, they offer tons of great features. You can get a programmable thermostat that allows you to set a heating and cooling schedule to save money on your energy bill. Even better, you can opt for a smart thermostat that allows you to control the temperature in your home from an app on your smartphone no matter where you are.
Make the Call
With summer approaching soon, now is the perfect time to have an air conditioning repair company get your AC ready for the heat. Not only can you get everything cleaned up so your AC runs at maximum efficiency, you can also make any upgrades you might want to make.
If you’re looking for help preparing the AC at your Minneapolis, MN, home for summer, Blue Ox Heating & Air is here to help. We do it all, from air conditioning repair to installation and maintenance. If you want to make sure your AC is ready for the demanding season ahead, give us a call at (612) 389-8385.
