Tips for Maintaining Your AC in Extreme Heat

Summers are getting hotter, and your air conditioning system is working harder than ever to help you beat the heat. Rising temperatures will push your air conditioner to its limits. With a little basic maintenance, you can ensure it keeps delivering cool air and functions optimally. Here are a few tips for maintaining your AC in extreme heat.

Replace or Clean the Air Filters

Your air conditioning unit does more than deliver cool air. It also filters the air around you, removing dust, debris, hair, and more. All that yucky stuff builds up on the filters over time, so you must remove and clean off or replace them with new ones. Blocked filters impede performance, making the unit work harder and run hotter. Check and clean or replace the filters at least once a month, especially if the air quality in your region is poor. During hotter months, you may need to change them more often, so inspect them more frequently.

Clean Off the Outdoor Unit

That outdoor device connected to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is called the condenser. You’ll recognize it because it contains a large fan that runs while your AC is operating. Because it’s outside, it’s prone to clogging with leaves, grass, dirt, and other outside debris. Keep the area around the condenser clear of plant growth. Also, shut it down and hose it off occasionally if it’s looking dirty. A blocked condenser overheats and may even eventually break down if the temperatures remain high for too long.

Inspect and Clean the Coils

The evaporator and coils are AC parts that cool down the air drawn into the unit before releasing it into the home. They can also get dirty, so shut down the AC unit, open it up, and check the coils. Wipe down the coils with a non-acidic cleaner, soft bristled brush, or a can of compressed air. Be gentle!

Insulate Your Home

You should properly insulate your home and check the state of your insulation in the attic and around the windows and doors. Ensure the cool air your AC unit generates stays inside. Replacing the attic insulation, caulking cracks around windowsills, and adding weather stripping to door frames can ensure reduced leakage, making your air conditioning system’s job much easier.

Call in a Professional

Hire a technician to inspect and maintain your AC system at least once a year and before the dog days of summer begin. A trained professional knows your unit inside and out and will catch potential problems and fix them before they get out of hand. Periodic visits from a trained tech ensure an extended lifespan for your HVAC system and keep it working at peak efficiency on the hottest days. Discuss installing a mini split inverter to deliver cool air to specific zones in your home to improve your unit’s efficiency.

Those are just a few handy tips for maintaining your AC in extreme heat . Contact us for a consultation if you have questions about air conditioning and how to beat the heat.