Warm air is returning after a cold, harsh winter and while we love to feel the sun on our faces, it will soon be too hot for comfort. Take a moment to get your Fort Collins air conditioning checked and ready for summer so you won’t be in for a rude surprise when it hits. Here are four tips to prepare your air conditioner for the upcoming months.
Change the Filter and Keep Changing It
Changing an air conditioner filter is something anyone can do. Filters protect the components within your unit from pollen, dust and other damaging particles. Without a clean filter, your air conditioning in Loveland can’t circulate the air well. The blower has more trouble moving air and ice could form on the AC making it work harder than necessary. You’ll need to change your filter at least once per month. If you see ice, turn it off and call a Fort Collins air conditioning professional immediately.
Maintain the Outdoor Unit
Your AC can’t work without proper air circulation, so make sure that nothing is on, around or near the outdoor unit. After the snow has disappeared, but before it gets too hot, turn off the thermostat and gently wash dirt away from the outside of the unit and the fins with a hose. You can also straighten any bent fins on the outdoor condenser unit with a fin comb. Remove debris that has fallen or formed in or around the unit such as twigs, leaves and spider webs, and keep grass and bushes trimmed back away from it. You’ll also want to ensure that tree branches don’t overhang onto the unit and wood piles and bicycles are kept several feet away.
Keep the Refrigerant Level Full
There should be two copper lines that run to the condenser unit. The larger line, which may have insulation around it, should feel cold to the touch or sweat when your AC is on. If the line feels warm after running your air conditioning in Loveland, you should turn it off until you can get a Tri-City Heating & Air Conditioning professional to add coolant.
Clean Out the Condensate Drain
Locate the thinner PVC pipe near the outdoor unit. This is your condensation drain. When your AC runs, water drips from the drain which can grow algae, potentially clogging the line and sending water into your home or triggering the cooling equipment to turn off. To keep this from happening, you can remove the end of the drain and use a wet/dry shop vacuum to remove the sludge and water from inside the line. Then just replace the drain end.
Proper maintenance can keep your air conditioning running properly all summer. If you run into trouble or need an air conditioner installation, give us a call and we’ll schedule a time for you to meet with one of our HVAC professionals.
Contact Tri-City Heating & Air Conditioning today and get your AC ready for summer!
