Summer-ready AC

The best time to schedule a check up for your air conditioning is in Spring. This ensures that your unit will be ready to go for the heat of summer.

But, what needs to be checked? And how can I be sure that everything that needs to be done actually gets done?

This information is provided by Energy Star and can be found at www.energystar.gov or also in their informational pamphlet "A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating & Cooling" which is available on their website, but also on www.sinclairair.com under the Resources section.

The most important thing to know about prepping your air system for summer, is that there are things the homeowner should do, and other things only a contractor/technician should do.

Cooling specific homeowner responsibilities:

• Ensure that all furniture/drapes etc. are off of registers or vents and there is clear air flow.
• CHANGE your filter or clean it regularly. This means at most every 3 months! This is a very simple fix that will save you tons of time and energy and breathing issues. The better condition a filter is kept in, the better condition of your air flow, and overall system.
• Clean indoor coils - NOW, disclaimer: this can be difficult, I have explained how to do it before on the blog (so you can look that up should you really want to do so) but, this is a careful situation and should not be done if one is unsure of what they are doing because they might cause damage. That being said, occasionally dirt can build up on these coils and reduces the system's ability to cool the home and in some cases can even cause the system to run longer than necessary - wasting energy.

Contractor maintenance checklist:

• The contractor should check the level of refrigerant and fill according to manufacturer's suggestions. Too much or too little refrigerant can cause damage to the compressor and increase costs.
• The contractor should inspect the blower components, insuring that they are clean and airflow is properly adjusted.
• The technician may also check the thermostat settings to ensure that the cooling system is turning off and on at the appropriate temperatures. Often times, the tech will test the temperature your system is running before leaving.
• Occasionally, especially if your system is older, moving parts may need lubrication. If the lubrication wears out on these moving parts, it can cause friction, which makes the unit as a whole work harder.
• You should NEVER try this one at home: The contractor should check electrical connections and make sure that the voltage load and currents are working correctly. If there is a problem with the electrical hook-up, the life span of the system can be dramatically reduced, as well as cost the homeowner higher electricity bills.

Just like your car gets regular oil changes, it is important to make sure your heating and air conditioning systems get regular check-ups. This helps to avoid an expensive (and perhaps HOT) breakdown, down the road. It's always better to be prepared.