ARE YOU PREPARED FOR AC INSTALLATION?
Once you see the following tell-tale signs, you can tell for sure that spring is back. You’ll see the grass turn green as each day passes. Flowers are everywhere and will be in full bloom soon, and the multitude of Americans take out their AC unit from storage and put it back in their window. AC installation in itself can be quite stressful for the average Joe, but more things lie ahead even after your AC start cooling down your home. There are several tips you can observe and remember to be sure that your unit will not suffer from its nonstop use and will remain efficient and useful for a long time.
AC installation in any Cleveland home is of prime significance for you and your loved ones to be able to survive the unbearable heat of the summer sun. Before finally deciding to buy a replacement for your old reliable AC, check out these nine things first:
ENSURE THAT THE EXPANSE WITHIN YOUR AC’s VICINITY IS CLEAR
If space around your AC unit is crowded, it has a negative impact on the performance of your unit as a whole. You have to clear the rising weeds, shrubbery, and dirt around its spot to establish the ideal place for the location of your AC. You must dutifully do this preparation at the onset of each year. The condenser coil of your AC will be greatly affected when you let this debris overflow, it also limits the flow of air inside your AC that in turn affects its overall lifespan. The unit’s filter will end up full of clogs with the continuous buildup of this debris and also compromises the purity of the air circulating inside your home. Another downside is the increase in your energy bills.
ESTABLISH THAT YOUR AC IS FLAT AND STEADY
Even though your condenser’s position is in a slightly slanted angle, it will still continue to work. Unfortunately, you’ll likely experience several issues with your compressor and fan blade is the angle gets so out of proportion. Aside from that, having a straight unit is more pleasing to the eye. Over the years, you will notice that the pad where your AC unit rests will get displaced, and you might need to scoop out a lot of dirt below it or readjust it to improve its positioning.
CHANGE AND CLEAN YOUR FILTERS ON A REGULAR BASIS
Replacing your air filters is one of the most mundane yet essential tasks you must not forget to do as a responsible AC owner. It is a common maintenance routine that will let you have peace of mind and better days and nights. Clogs impede the unit’s flow of air or the build-up of dirt on your filthy air filter. If you let this buildup get out of hand, your air conditioning unit’s efficiency is compromised, and you’ll be left with numerous problems as well. It should not be that hard for you to change your AC’s air filter. By design, they are easy to pull off, and you can also save by buying in several packs in a single purchase. There are some individuals who are not fond of having to buy air filters on a regular basis, and to also change them regularly. But you can have big savings in terms of energy bills since a clean filter will boost your unit’s efficiency to around 15 percent.
CLEAN YOUR UNIT’S CONDENSER COILS
Your condenser coil will have a higher tendency to accumulate dirt if you do not change it regularly. Having a clean filter limits the amount of dirt that debris that will build up. Likewise, heat will not be properly absorbed if your evaporator coil is filthy. You can use compressed air to clean your condenser coil and include it with your regimen in the maintenance of your AC unit.
REALIGN COIL FINS
Your condenser coil and evaporator aligns with the help of fins that are from aluminum, which is why it is easy for them to bend. Bent or crooked fins block the flow of air through its coils. As a result, your unit will put in more effort to perform and translate to the unit’s inefficiency. The good thing is that you can reshape it back again with ease and using the tool, a comb fin. The coils will look just the way it is soon after you use the comb fin over it.
CLEAR THE DRAINS
There are around one or two condensation lines in most AC units that is useful to disperse water properly, which is the by-product of the cooling process. Once you recognize that you have two drains in your AC unit back at home, you’ll be able to identify that the first one is the primary while the other one is the secondary drain. It is useful in the event that your primary drain gets a clog. You can ensure that there is no debris trapped inside it by letting a stiff wire pass through it. If you have blocked drains, the humidity cannot be managed by your unit and will not only make you feel uncomfortable but a long list of other damages as well.
CHANGE YOUR WINDOW SEAL
Many of your home’s AC maintenance and installation tasks are doable on your own, but then there are those that must be handled by expert AC installation contractors. Your unit can have a brand new lease on life just by simply bringing it to a service technician for routine checkups. You’ll even prolong its life. A routine maintenance checkup will cover the following:
- Check the level of your refrigerant to make sure it is sufficient.
- Utilize a leak detector to observe for any signs of refrigeration leaks.
- Properly take out and throw away refrigerants rather than illegally and haphazardly throwing it anywhere you like.
- Observe closely for signs of leaks in the ducts of central ACs.
- Check that the evaporator coil has sufficient airflow.
- Test the electrical control and then make sure that your unit’s cooling and heating systems do not operate at the same time.
- Check and fix electrical terminals and also clean and check its various connections.
- Put some oil on the motor and inspect the belt to make sure that it is not too tight or too loose.
- Make sure that your unit’s thermostat give’s off the right reading.
STORE ACCORDINGLY
In the fortunate event that your window AC unit manages to survive another Cleveland summer without breaking down, the last thing you can do for it as a form of gratitude is to store it accordingly. If your storage is inside your garage, ensure sufficient covering for your AC and that it stays protected from the danger of rodents. Central AC units must also be safe from the snow, debris, and the incoming colder months. Also, if you are careful during the cold season, you’ll have the assurance that installing it next spring will be a snap.
Having an AC during the warm and humid summer months is such a blessing, and it asks so very little from you in return. Just make sure it undergoes regular maintenance and that’s all. You might feel that observing these steps is such a burden and bothersome. However, it is nothing to spending more money when you buy a replacement AC unit altogether after having the old one for only a year or two of use. You’ll also likely repeat the AC installation process two times or more over the summer.