Just as you do spring cleaning for your home, you’ll also want to do the same for your air conditioning system. This helps to ensure your system is running efficiently and ready to take on the summer season. Your AC spring cleaning process should include many different steps that we’re going to discuss in more detail below.
Professional HVAC Maintenance
One of the very best places to start is by getting professional HVAC maintenance services. This is where one of our HVAC professionals comes out and inspects your entire system. Our technicians will look for any signs of excessive wear and tear and alert you to any potential issues with your system so that they can be repaired before the summer weather hits.
Furthermore, they will lubricate moving parts, recharge your refrigerant if necessary, and even calibrate your thermostat to ensure that your air conditioning system is working at its peak efficiency level. This service is great for not only reducing your risk of experiencing an unexpected breakdown during the summer months but also for maintaining the warranty coverage on your system.
Replace Your HVAC Filter
The air filter for your air conditioning system has a big impact on the system’s overall operation. If the filter is excessively dirty, it will restrict the flow of air through your ductwork. This will make it much harder for your system to adequately cool your home and cause it to work overtime, leading to a higher risk of a breakdown. Opt for putting in a new filter at the beginning of the summer season to give your air conditioning system the best chance of efficient operation.
If you or another member of your household suffers from allergies or asthma, you may want to consider investing in a high-quality filter for your system. Ideally, you’ll want to choose an HVAC filter that has a MERV rating between 10 and 13. This will give you maximum filtration to get rid of airborne allergens while still ensuring the air conditioning system can function efficiently. While there are air filters out there with a higher rating, they’re specifically designed for industrial HVAC systems that are more powerful. Trying to use them with a residential HVAC system can cause excessive strain on your system’s components and premature deterioration of your entire air conditioning system.
Program Your Thermostat
Another great step to take is to program your thermostat for the summer weather. If you still rely on an old dial thermostat, it’s time to upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat to increase the energy efficiency of your home. These newer thermostats allow you to program in desired temperatures for different times and days of the week.
This can allow you to maximize your energy savings by setting your thermostat to a higher temperature at times when you know you won’t be home. Some newer smart thermostats even have integrated learning technology that can make suggestions for helping to optimize your settings for better energy efficiency.
Clean Up Around Your Outdoor Condenser Unit
The outdoor condenser unit for your air conditioning system is an imperative part of dispersing the heat that’s removed from your home. Whenever there is debris against the unit, it restricts the flow of air and will hinder your system’s ability to adequately cool your home. This can lead to an uncomfortable indoor environment and higher energy bills. It’s best to take some time to clean up around the condenser unit. Remove any debris that may be restricting its airflow.
You want to trim back any low-hanging branches or shrubbery so that there’s at least three feet of open space around your outdoor condenser unit. Take a look at the fins on the outside of the unit. If you notice that any of them are bent, use a flathead screwdriver or specialized fin comb to straighten those fins back out. Any fins that are bent won’t be able to properly disperse heat and can affect the overall efficiency of your air conditioning system.
Check Your Air Vents
Now is the perfect time to go ahead and walk around all the different rooms in your home and take a look at the vents. If you notice that any of your air vents are closed, you need to open them back up. Contrary to popular belief, closing off air vents doesn’t make your system more efficient. In fact, the pressure change in your ducting can actually decrease the performance of your system. When inspecting each air vent, ensure that it has at least three feet of open space around it for optimal airflow.
Get Duct Cleaning and Sealing Services
Throughout the seasons, your ductwork can accumulate a lot of debris that can build up and restrict the airflow throughout your ducting. Furthermore, the natural expansion and contraction of your air ducting due to temperature changes can cause joints to loosen up over time. This creates air gaps in your system that can allow your conditioned air to escape into your floor and wall cavities instead of making it to the rooms in your home.
Every few years you should consider investing in duct cleaning and sealing services. This is where our HVAC technicians come out to your home and use a specialized tool to clean all of your ductwork. After it’s completely clean, they will apply a liquid sealant that will harden over all of the air leaks inside of your ductwork. This will not only help to boost the air quality level inside of your home but will ensure that all the cold air from your air conditioning system makes it to all the rooms in your home without any waste.
Check Your Attic Insulation and Vents
Spring is also the perfect time of year to go ahead and climb up into your attic to check your roof vents and insulation. You’ll want to see if any gaps in your insulation need to be filled in. Additionally, if your insulation has sunken down below the top of the floor joist, it’s important to top that off with new insulation that sits just proud of the joist.
When you’re up in your attic, it’s also a great time to take a look at your roof vents. Contrary to what you may read on some websites online, you never want to close off the air vents in your home. They should always remain open so that your attic can be at the same temperature as the air outside. If you’re worried about animals crawling into your attic during the summer season, you can simply apply a wire mesh over the vents. This will keep unwanted animals out while still allowing for adequate airflow in the attic.
Exceptional AC Maintenance Service
Pioneer Valley Environmental offers exceptional AC maintenance services to the Belchertown, MA community. We can also assist with all your cooling repair, replacement, and installation needs. Simply call our office today to book your next HVAC service appointment with one of our helpful HVAC technicians.
