Call the HVAC Contractor and Cool Down!

When the hot temperatures of the summer hit, you'll be thinking about turning on your air conditioner and using it to cool down your home. However, there are a few things that you need to do to prepare for summer air conditioning use. 

Remove The Cover

If you put a cover on your air conditioner, it's crucial that you remember to remove it prior to turning it on for the first time. Some people forget about this because the air conditioner is on the side of their home and completely out of sight. You can end up permanently damaging it if you turn it on with a cover strapped to it, so make sure to double-check

Keep The Unit Clean

If the unit was not covered, your outdoor compressor will get dirty during the previous months when it was not in use. You'll likely have leaves and lawn clippings in the grill of the unit, or dead leaves that have fallen inside the unit. Now is the time to clean the unit so that there are not airflow problems that need to be fixed, which will help the unit run smoothly.

Change The Filter

Even if your heating and air conditioner hasn't been used for a few months, you may have had the fan running and pushing air through the ductwork. It's worth changing the air filter so that you can start the summer off with a clean filter. You should be doing this regularly as it is, because a clean filter helps improve airflow and prevents problems. 

Check The Thermostat, Dampers, and Humidifier

Make sure that you've switched the thermostat over from heating to cooling mode. Then you'll want to change any schedule to reflect your current cooling preferences. It's possible that your temperatures for heating were fine for the winter, but way too cold for the summer with the air conditioner running.

In addition, you may have dampers that were shut off to rooms that were too hot that now need to be opened. You should also adjust your humidifier so that it is turned off or set much lower for the summer, since you likely do not want to add humidity to the hot air. 

Have A Professional Perform Maintenance

Now is the time to schedule professional maintenance to be done to your air conditioner. It doesn't have to be performed right away, but it should be done each year. This includes things like checking the refrigerant levels to ensure there is not a leak, checking the blower speeds to ensure they are running properly, and verifying that the temperature of the air being produced is the proper temperature.