Spring is a perfect time to prepare for summer. With hot weather on its way to Mobile, Alabama, it’s time to change your filter and seal your ducts to keep up your air conditioner’s efficiency. Keep your unit working at its peak all through the summer by keeping the area around your outdoor unit shaded and clear of debris.
Complete Regular Maintenance
For your air conditioner to work properly, regular maintenance is important. During a routine visit, a technician checks for worn or loose parts in your unit and replaces them as necessary. The professional also checks your coolant levels and the airflow over the cooling coils, both of which affect efficiency.
Regular maintenance not only improves your unit’s performance, it can also prevent breakdowns in the future. A qualified technician finds and fixes small issues before they become big problems. Sign up for a maintenance plan to make sure that you don’t forget your maintenance before the summer heat hits Alabama.
Change Your Filter
Change your unit’s filter before summer begins so it’s ready to work hard for you during the hot weather. Check your filter every month and replace or clean as necessary to keep things running efficiently.
The filter on your air conditioner traps airborne particles that build up on your unit’s coils and affect your home’s indoor air quality. Keeping your filter clean helps your unit take air in so it can cool your home efficiently. When your filter gets clogged your equipment has to work harder to bring air in, reducing efficiency.
Shade Your Outdoor Unit
When the summer heat beats down on your outdoor air conditioning unit, it heats up, making it more difficult to cool the air in your home. By shading your outdoor unit, you’re keeping your air conditioner cool, so it’s easier for the unit to keep your living space cool.
If possible, have your unit installed on the shady side of your home or beneath a shade tree. Installing a small roof or shelter overtop of your unit also keeps it protected from the hot Alabama sun, helping it work at peak effectiveness.
When landscaping your yard, keep in mind that large rocks and asphalt radiate heat, so it’s best to keep them away from your outdoor air conditioning unit.
Keep It Clean
Leaves, twigs, grass clippings, and other yard waste accumulate around your air conditioner’s outdoor unit, affecting its performance. When debris gets on the outdoor compressor, it blocks the unit, making it difficult for the machine to push the heat out of your home.
Cleaning yard waste from around your air conditioning unit regularly helps it to keep working efficiently. Be sure to clean around your unit after windy days that bring down more leaves and twigs than usual.
Also, make sure any growth such as decorative plants or shrubs is at least three feet from your air conditioner unit to make sure you’re getting proper air flow. Obstructions make it more difficult for the machine to cool your home efficiently.
Seal Leaky Ducts
Before the cooling season begins, inspect your ducts to see if they need sealing. Leaky ducts result in energy loss and make it difficult for your air conditioning unit to cool your home even when the unit itself it working at maximum efficiency. When you have a professional seal them for you, it increases the efficiency of your cooling unit by 20 to 40 percent.
It’s also important to make sure your ducts are properly insulated, especially in attics, garages, or crawlspaces where the conditioned air loses energy. Without insulation the cool air in your ducts heats, making it difficult for your air conditioner to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Before summer arrives, prepare your air conditioner to work efficiently, and don’t forget to keep it up throughout the hot season. In Mobile, Alabama, call Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. for maintenance, repairs, and installation. Our plans help you keep your unit working at top condition, worry free. Call us today at 251-476-3610 to speak to our knowledgeable staff about your air conditioning needs.
