In Minnesota, by the time spring arrives, summer is right around the corner. While you rely on your furnace to keep you from freezing during winter, you'll soon need to depend on your air conditioning to cool you off on hot summer days. However, if you've neglected maintenance on your air conditioning unit, you may find it fails you when you need it most. To make sure that doesn't happen, follow this guide to get your A/C unit ready for summer.
4-Step Guide to Getting Your Air Conditioning Ready
- Change Your Filter - Before you begin working on your A/C unit, make sure to turn off both the circuit breaker and the condenser. Once it's safe to work on your air conditioning unit, remove the air filter and examine it. Most likely, it will be clogged with dust and in need of a replacement. Replacing your air filter will ensure good, clean airflow in your home in Minnesota during the summer.
- Clean the Condenser - During the winter in Minnesota, leaves, dirt and other debris tend to accumulate inside of air conditioning units. This debris can reduce the efficiency of your A/C unit's condenser. Thoroughly clean off the condenser's fan and coils to ensure optimal performance. Then, remove any other debris from the base of the condenser to keep it from restricting air flow when your air conditioning is on.
- Inspect the Coolant Lines - There are coolant lines that run between your air conditioner's condenser and evaporator. These lines play a vital role in creating cold air to cool your house during a hot summer in Minnesota. The insulation that protects the coolant lines may be damaged during winter. Check the coolant lines for spots where this insulation has been stripped away and replace it to keep your coolant insulated while your A/C unit is running.
- Test Your A/C - Once you've finished cleaning your air conditioning unit, it's time to make sure it's running right. Switch your thermostat to cool, turn your condenser back on, and let your A/C unit run. Ideally, your unit will get straight to work on cooling off your house. If it doesn't, then it's time to call an HVAC technician for repairs.
Need Help Getting Your A/C Unit Running?
If you want to make sure your air conditioning will be keeping your home cool all summer, then it's best to let a professional perform maintenance services and any needed repairs in spring. Contact Airic's Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. today if you'd like us to inspect, test or repair your A/C unit in the greater Twin Cities metro area!