This guest post on 4 Simple AC Maintenance Tips was provided for Blogging Mom of 4.
We’re in the middle of the summer, which also means your air conditioners is probably working overtime to cool off your home. One of the worst things that can happen to you on a hot summer day is an AC breakdown. Trust me, that’s one experience you’d rather not have, especially when the temperature is soaring outside. Now, if your AC has been neglected, it’s much more likely to run into problems when it’s overworking in the heat. A regular maintenance, on the other hand, keeps your AC units last that much longer and helps you avoid hefty replacement costs.
Here are 4 Simple AC Maintenance Tips that will increase the lifespan of your air conditioner and help you run it smoothly through this summer.
1. Keep the Vents Clean
The vents are where air is sucked from your home into the AC unit and blown into your home. A close look will show dust build-ups. Now imagine where this dirty debris gets blown when your AC unit turns on — there, you guessed it — right inside your home and into the air you breathe. To avoid this, make it a habit to clean the vents, at least once in two weeks.
2. Replace Air Filters Regularly
Your AC filters are meant to be replaced at a regular interval considering their heavy duty job of keeping dirt, dust, debris and other particles from mixing with the indoor air. Since they are designed to trap the dirt, they are always at the risk of getting clogged. When this happens, it may interrupt the smooth airflow, making your AC run for longer hours to create the desired cooling effect. If your monthly utility bills have been snowballing out of control this summer, this may very well be the reason.
So how often do you need to change the filters? Well, a safe (and expert-approved) thumb-rule is — if it looks filthy, it needs to go.
3. Clean Your Outdoor Condensing Unit
The outdoor condensing unit is always prone to gathering dirt and debris, which may cause its fins to get choked. This will block your AC’s air circulation process and reduce its efficiency over time. This is why you must watch out for any debris that may collect on the condensing unit. Cleaning it once every other week will keep problems out of your way.
4. Get Your AC Professionally Serviced Twice a Year
Along with regular at-home maintenance, it’s always advisable to get a licensed and certified HVAC professional to tune-up your AC units at least twice every year. A professional not only cleans up those parts of an AC that are out of your reach but also inspects your units thoroughly. That way any signs of problems can be detected early on, before they turn worse, saving you bigger expenses down the road. HVAC experts, Deep Chill air conditioning on the Gold Coast recommends, “A fully cleaned and efficient air conditioner will ensure your air conditioner is working to its full capacity giving years of comfort and energy savings.”
Follow these four tips to keep your AC running smoothly without blowing your budget, not only this summer but for many summers to come.
Laurie says
I definitely agree, these are great tips. By having a technician out to look at your HVAC unit, you are properly maintaining it and preventing any issues. Thanks for sharing!
Tiffany Locke says
Getting a professional tune-up for your AC units at least twice a year is excellent advice. Having regular maintenance is a great way for them to find out if there is anything wrong, which will help them fix it sooner and avoid more damage. I would imagine that if you get your air conditioning unit cleaned professionally it would also help keep the air in your home cleaner, which could benefit your health.
Burt Silver says
Thanks for the information on keeping an AC unit healthy! My AC unit recently broke, and I want to do everything I can to make sure our new one is properly maintained. I never thought about making sure I keep the outdoor unit clean. I will have to make that part of my regular chores to make sure my new AC stays in good shape.
John Mahoney says
Thank you for talking about how having your AC unit serviced twice a year can help you increase its life. It makes sense that taking the time to do this can help you avoid emergencies and expensive last minute repairs. Do you know how long it takes for one of these services to be done? I want to make sure I take the time to make appropriate plans to keep my unit working great.
Ridley Fitzgerald says
These are some great tips for AC maintenance. The air filters are the only things I know how to mess with, so these other tips are great to know. Our AC unit hasn’t been serviced in years, so we’ll get that done soon.
Alexandria Martinez says
I really liked your advice about getting a professional to look at your air conditioning as part of regular home maintenance. Recently, I have been looking at new AC systems and installations for my home. I will keep this in mind as I obtain a new air conditioner to keep it new for as long as possible.
Josh S says
Thanks for sharing, it’s super important to get it serviced at least twice a year, especially living in AZ like I do
Aircon Servicing says
I didn’t realize that you need to clean off an outside air conditioning unit. That does seem like a good thing to be aware of. I just bought my first home and I want to make sure that my AC is going to work properly.
Michael Robinson says
I really like what you had to say here in regards to maintaining your air conditioner unit. As you explained, replacing your filters regularly can help you get the most out of your HVAC unit because it allows for the system to work optimally in cooling your home. Recently because of the weather, we have been using our heater a lot, and I think that it would be worth our time to call a contractor to come take a look at it for us. Thanks again for the post, and we are hoping to save some money by investing in our HVAC unit.
Anthony Merseal says
great.
Gerty Gift says
Thank you for the tip about getting the unit checked twice a year. I don’t think my husband and I have had ours checked in the two years we’ve lived in our house. I will be adding this to the list of things that should be done in a year and adjusting our budget. I really appreciate all of your recommendations.
Aleshire Mueller says
You explained that debris choking the condensing unit is prone to gathering debris and dirt and this will affect the circulation process, so it is best to keep it clean. That is good to know though, I am not very confident about touching any part of the AC unit out of fear of getting hurt. I think it is for the best that I hire a professional to do the maintenance for my just to be sure that everything’s safe. Thank you.
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HVAC Maintenance Tips says
From my personal experience, I can say that replacing the air filters at regular intervals is essential for keeping your air conditioner highly functional. I’m glad that you’ve listed all the useful tips required for increasing the lifespan of the system. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Taylor Bishop says
Thanks for this advice for making an AC unit last longer. You mentioned that you should clean the vents once every two weeks. I’m kind of interested to learn if you should clean the vents more often if you use your AC a lot.
Congressional, HVAC in Gaithersburg says
These are accurate maintenance tips. I would also recommend using a programmable thermostat. If you don’t have, installing a programmable thermostat one can go a long way in to help reduce energy use when you’re not home.
rohit aggarwal says
thanks for the information
ac maintenance Dubai says
To enhance the life span of an ac, everyone should maintain it properly. This article is very informative about this maintenance process.
Zoe Campos says
I definitely agree with the part where you mentioned that our air conditioner works longer hours especially during the warmer seasons. My kids really complain a lot whenever I turn the AC off and I can sympathize with them since our area experiences extreme weather conditions, so I really can’t help but turn it on all day. It might be a good idea to hire professionals next week to ensure that it is working well and is not in need of any repair services.
OSWEGOTRUCKCENTERS says
Very Informative Article.
rachel frampton says
My dad noticed that his ac unit is not producing enough cool air, which is why he has decided to start looking for an HVAC maintenance service. Well, you’re right that its filters must be free from debris, dirt, and dust. I’ll also keep in mind to inform my dad that he must have it cleaned at least once a week.
Riyan says
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting post to read . I learn new information about Ac maintenance from your article.
Ronan says
Awesome post, Thanks for sharing this
Kopernikas Green says
These are accurate maintenance tips. I would also recommend using a programmable thermostat. If you don’t have, installing a programmable thermostat one can go a long way in to help reduce energy use when you’re not home.
Sara Olsen says
These tips are the same as what we are told, the time when our AC just suddenly failed to work. I had no idea what to do or where the problem came from.
Thanks to your article, I have a deeper understanding of what to do now.
Green Leaf Air says
Very interesting reading. Nice content. Thank you very much.
Riyan says
Very valuable information, it is not at all blogs that we find this, I was looking for something like that and found it here.
Joven Ruthford says
Thanks for the great article.
Robert Leon says
My ac unit broke and I want to do everything to make sure that our new one is properly maintained. I never thought about making sure I keep the outdoor unit clean. I will have to make that part of my regular chores to make sure my new AC stays in good shape.
Rupinder says
It’s a really great article, thanks for sharing such informative knowledge with us. We also provide HVAC Maintenance services,Visit our site for more information: https://www.fieldpromax.com/
Bob Fox says
Thanks to your article, I have a deeper understanding of what to do now. It’s a really great article, thanks for sharing such informative knowledge with us.
martin williams says
Thank you for sharing such informative helpful content.
Maintaining a residential and commercial air conditioner is not an easy task. These are the tips that everyone needs to know if they want to increase the lifespan of their air conditioner. If anyone is living in Houston, tx and looking for a local ac repair company in Houston can hire Air Dynasty, the best cooling company in Houston.
comfortspecialistsservices says
Window air conditioners are nice to have to keep a room cooler that may be located in a warmer part of the home. However, just like with all appliances, maintenance is important.