As allergy season approaches, you might notice that the people in your household are sneezing and coughing a little more. Changing the air filter may help to alleviate allergy symptoms, which is part of why we recommend doing so each month or so. But did you know that this serves a different purpose when it comes to the state of your air conditioning system?
Changing the filter can actually help air flow through your air conditioner with ease and prevent sudden system failure. But that’s not the only step to take to prepare your air conditioner for spring. Read on to learn the importance of changing the air filter and what else you should do to get your AC ready for spring.
Changing the Filter Helps Your Air Conditioner
In fact, neglecting to change the air filter can do quite a bit of harm to the system. Your air filter collects a lot of dust and debris from the air throughout your home over the course of a just a month or two in order to keep you healthy and, as it was designed, to keep particulate from damaging the AC system.
When the air filter is all clogged up, though, it may continue blocking some debris, but it also stops air from flowing through. The lack of airflow affects your air conditioner in a few big ways:
- You feel less comfortable.
- Energy efficiency decreases as the fan has to run for longer, costing you more in monthly bills.
- The air conditioner struggles to run, increasing wear and tear and leading to potential system breakdowns!
Change your air filter each and every month, certainly at the beginning of spring before you run your air conditioner. But that’s not all you should do to prepare your system.
Clean the Coils
One other major step of maintaining a home’s air conditioner is cleaning the coils that reside in the outside unit of your system. These coils are responsible for the release of heat as it dissipates from refrigerant condensing in the coils.
Refrigeration is actually a process of heat exchange, and that’s how your split-system AC cools your home. When the coils outside are dirty, heat cannot be released into the air, which causes some of the same problems as a clogged filter (and may also lead to water leaks in the home!).
Schedule Professional AC Maintenance Services
You may be able to clean the outside coils on your own, but we don’t always recommend this. The best way to get your air conditioner ready for spring is to schedule professional maintenance services, or an AC tune-up, from a local technician. During this service, technicians will…
- Clean or replace the filters
- Clean and inspect coils
- Complete a visual inspection
- Test voltage/amp draw
- Lubricate moving parts
- Tighten electrical connections
…and much more! All of this can help to prepare your air conditioner for spring. Potentially, you can reduce the chances of a system breakdown, restore energy efficiency and lower bills, and stay more comfortable all spring and summer long.
For an AC tune-up in West Chester, OH, get in touch with Bartels Heating & Cooling.