Spring seems to have made an early appearance, so there’s no better time to get your annual air conditioner maintenance done. In the next few posts, I’ll be concentrating on air conditioning, and what you’ll want to do to be sure you can avoid an expensive air conditioner repair in Boston this summer.
As far as operation goes, one of the best, easiest and nicest things you can do for your air conditioner is change the filter regularly. Use pleated filters and change them no less often than 90 days. If you have pets in your home, change the filter more frequently. This will help protect the unit’s secondary heat exchanger and the evaporator coil, and it will keep dirt and other debris out of the blower wheel, which can cause your unit to malfunction.
Can’t find your AC filter? Check your furnace! (It’s usually the same filter you change during the heating season.) Some units have a filter located in a ceiling return air grille, but if you have central air conditioning that uses your furnace ductwork, your filter’s most likely in your furnace.
Changing the filter regularly has some other benefits, as well. Pushing air through a dirty, or clogged filter can decrease the efficiency of your air conditioner. It can also introduce dirt into other moving parts of the air conditioner, reducing their effectiveness and increasing the amount of electricity your air conditioner consumes.
Dirty air filters can also be a source of odor and airborne allergens in your home. Filters will collect contaminants like mold, mold spores, pollen and other irritants. If you inspect your air conditioner filter and notice that it has mold growth or has a funny smell, change it immediately.
Keep some clean filters on hand so you can perform a quick change whenever you need to. If you’re not certain how often to change the filter, inspect the filter periodically to note its condition. When you see a lot of dirt or debris collecting on the filter, change it.
If you’re thinking about skipping the filter altogether, don’t. Running your system without a filter will cause the evaporator coil the air handler to clog. This will lead to icing on the air conditioner – something you definitely don’t want.
If you have questions about your air conditioner, or would like to schedule pre-season maintenance, give us a call at Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating at (617) 362-0377
anytime. We’ll be happy to schedule a seasonal maintenance check and show you how to maintain your system during the summer.
Don’t forget to like Boston Standard Plumbing on Facebook, and if you make a platelet donation to the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center during the month of April, we’ll take $50 off of any Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating purchase or service call worth $100 or more!
Categories:
DIY Air Conditioning, DIY Blog, Tips and Tricks
