There is something magical about that day you switch your air conditioning on and say goodbye to those brutal Minneapolis/St Paul cold and dark winter days and nights!
After sitting idle for the duration of a Minnesota winter, there are a few things you should do to make sure your seasonal switch goes smoothly. To make it a bit easier, here is Metro Heating and Cooling’s Guide to Get Your Air Conditioner Ready for Spring!
Putting Your Air Conditioner on Your Spring Cleaning ‘to-do’ List!
Perhaps you are one of those who welcome the sights and sounds of spring by doing some deep cleaning to prepare for the warmer months ahead.
Why not put your air conditioner on that list as several factors of getting your air conditioner ready for spring involves the cleaning of various components.
Begin by taking a trip outside to check your condensing unit.
1. Cleaning the Outdoor Condenser Coil Area and Note the Condition of the Coil Itself
Your air conditioner is no different from anything on your spring-cleaning ‘to-do’ list. The portion of your air conditioner that is outside your home is the condensing unit. This is where the unwanted heat from inside your home is transferred to the great outdoors through the condensing coil.
Make sure there are no leaves or other yard debris piled up against your condensing unit. Make it a habit during air conditioning season to pay attention to the condensing unit because the cleaner the area is around that unit, the easier and more efficient your unit will operate. Keep about a six-foot buffer zone clean around the unit for maximum efficiency.
If it is feasible, take a look at the condition of your condenser coil. Look for two things:
- Is the condensing coil dirty?
- Are the aluminum fins of the coil straight and not bent flat causing an air blockage?
If your condenser coil is bent in several places of you can see internal blockage from dirt, leaves, and other debris, it might be time to schedule a seasonal tune-up for your air conditioner from the team at Metro Heating and Cooling.
2. Maximize Your Air Conditioner’s Air Flow
Now is an excellent time to make sure that each floor register in your home is operating correctly. These control the cool air from your ducts and if any of them do not allow you to adjust the airflow or to cut the airflow off in unused areas pull them up from their location and visually check each one.
Floor registers may become clogged with debris blowing through your ducts and becoming lodged inside the register cutting your airflow. Oil (WD-40) the lever that operates the direction of the airflow and promptly replace any floor registers that are broken or will not properly operate.
3. Does Your Duct Work Need Cleaning?
As you check each floor register, notice the condition of the ductwork around the register openings when you remove the floor registers. If your ductwork is relatively new try reaching as far as you can in both directions with a damp cloth to clean the insides of your ductwork.
If you notice a lot of dust and debris coming out on your cleaning cloth, it might be time to schedule a duct cleaning from a reputable duct cleaning service.
4. Replace/Upgrade Your Air Conditioning Filter
Springtime means pollen time! Your air conditioners filter is going to need replacing for part of the spring-cleaning process, so right now would be a good time to rethink your filter choice for the upcoming pollen season!
Also, when removing your old dirty filter, notice the condition of your ductwork at the return airflow point. If this area is dirty beyond what you can do at the household level, it goes back to what was mentioned earlier about cleaning your ductwork.
5. Thermostat Operation
Switch your thermostat from ‘heat’ to ‘cool’ and set the desired temperature. If your air conditioner does not respond:
- Check your air conditioner’s main breaker and reset it if it has tripped
- Enter a cooler degree for your unit to respond to
If your air conditioner does not promptly begin operating, you may have a problem with your thermostat. If this is the case, now would be a good time to consider switching to a newer ‘smart’ thermostat from Metro Heating and Cooling that will do a better job at efficiently operating your air conditioner this summer season.
Also, switch your thermostat to ‘fan’ and notice if your air conditioner’s fan begins to operate distributing fresh air throughout your home. If the fan only setting does not promptly turn the fan on, you may have a fan motor or fan switch problem that the team of professionals at Metro Heating and Cooling can properly diagnose with a seasonal tune-up.
6. Do You Have a Newer More Efficient Ductless Mini-Split?
These are the heating and cooling solutions that evolved from traditional ‘central’ type HVAC units But, just as with those older systems they need TLC to begin the spring air conditioning season.
You can clean the interior of your ductless unit just like any other household appliance paying attention to the areas where airflow is important and filtration is required. Even though these units have no ductwork to worry with, they still have the same style of outdoor condensers as the older ones. Check to make sure the area around this unit is free from leaves and debris just like you did with the older central units.
7. Springtime Maintenance from Metro Heating and Cooling
Everything listed here is things that you can do to get your air conditioner ready for spring. That being said, perhaps you are more comfortable when a trained professional do these things as they can address potential problems before they become big repair problems.
If you want to get your air conditioner started on the best possible foot forward for spring you may want to give the team at Metro Heating and Cooling the opportunity to do what they do best! That is providing you and your family with the best air conditioning maintenance plan in the greater Minneapolis/St Paul area!
Why not give the team from Metro Heating and Cooling a call or go by their website today and see how easy it can be to get your air conditioner ready for spring!
