After sitting unused all winter, your air conditioning unit requires some attention before you turn it on again. Use these practical tips to ensure your home’s air conditioner is ready for spring in Ontario.
Clean or Replace the Filter
A dirty filter can impede airflow and make your home feel humid and warm. It can also decrease your home’s air quality. Strive to replace your filter once every 30 to 90 days.
Inspect the Thermostat
You should also inspect your thermostat to ensure it functions correctly. Depending on how old your thermostat is, you might consider upgrading to a new one. A smart thermostat can help your air conditioning unit function more efficiently, lowering your utility bills.
Check the Outdoor Unit
Before you turn on your AC for the spring, inspect the outdoor unit. Remove any debris, such as dirt, leaves, branches, and other items that may have accumulated around it, to help the unit operate safely.
Cleaning the Condenser Coils
Have a professional from our team inspect and clean the condenser coils in your air conditioner. These coils dissipate heat that the refrigerant collects. When they are dirty, they cannot function normally. They can cause your AC unit to blow out warm air.
Inspecting Refrigerant Lines
It’s also important to ensure that refrigerant lines are intact. When they are inspected, we look for signs of leaks or damage. If they have damage like cracks or holes, we can repair them.
Check the Insulation
Inspect the insulation around your refrigerant lines. This insulation helps your AC unit function more efficiently and prevents energy loss due to heat gain during the spring and summer. Add or replace missing insulation on these lines if needed.
Inspect the Ductwork
Ductwork is important for helping your cooling unit function more efficiently. When it has punctures or cracks, this lets in warm air and makes it harder for your AC to cool your house. We can use caulk or mastic tape to seal openings in the ductwork.
Clean the Evaporator Coils
Like the condenser coils, the evaporator coils can become dirty and need cleaning before you turn on your AC. These coils remove heat from the air using a refrigerant that runs through copper tubing. If they get dirty, they can cause your unit to freeze and blow out hot air.
Clean the Condensate Drain
You also need to ensure the condensate drain is free from debris. Debris in this drain can lead to a water leak. Professional HVAC maintenance often includes cleaning out the condensate drain as a preventive measure.
Inspect the Blower Motor and Fan
The blower motor and fan may need attention before you turn on your AC. These parts force air through the system and out of your home’s vents. Have someone from our team inspect them for signs of damage.
Inspect the Fan Blades
The fan blades in your AC unit may also need tightening before you turn on your system. If they are off-balance or warped, they can make loud banging noises as the system runs. Balancing and tightening them helps your unit operate quieter.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Moving parts in your AC unit need routine lubrication. Without lubrication, they grind against each other as the unit runs. This can cause alarming noises like screeching and squealing. This can also cause parts to wear out prematurely. Lubricating them at least once a year helps them last longer and work normally.
Check the Electrical Connections
Factors like age and continuous use can wear out the electrical connections in your AC unit. Our HVAC team can inspect, repair, and tighten loose wiring to help your system work better.
Test the Startup Cycle
Before switching on your unit for the season, check its startup cycle. You can set the thermostat temperature to a setting that is colder than the home’s air temperature. It should start promptly. If it fails to start, you may need your system repaired.
Examine the Vents for Fungal Growth
You should have the airflow coming from the air conditioner tested before spring arrives. If your unit has a weak airflow, it might have an obstruction in one of its vents. You should have the vents cleaned out to maximize airflow from your air conditioner.
Look for Mildew
Mildew can also grow inside vents and ducts. As your air conditioner runs, this will make your home smell musty. Mildew in the vents and ducts can also cause allergy flare-ups. A seasonal tune-up can involve cleaning your system’s vents and ducts.
Test the System’s Safety Controls
Safety controls mitigate risks like overheating, fire, and electrical shocks while your system runs. Before turning on your cooling system for the spring, test these controls. They may need professional HVAC maintenance or repairs to keep them working effectively.
Inspect the Belts and Pulleys
Parts like belts and pulleys can wear out and prevent your unit from working normally. Inspecting them at least once a year gives you time to repair or replace them. You could avoid the unit breaking down and needing costly repairs by inspecting and servicing these parts.
Check the System’s Pressure Levels
To ensure your system works normally, you also must check and maintain its pressure levels. An HVAC technician will know what the levels for your unit should remain at. Yearly tune-ups help keep the pressures at the right levels and can mitigate the risk of them falling too low or going too high.
Inspect the Capacitors
The capacitors look like a cylinder-shaped battery and energize your system’s motors to get them running to keep your house cool. They also store electricity and send it to the motor in powerful bursts to keep it revved up. Because of the risk they can pose to your safety, you should hire an HVAC technician to inspect, repair, or replace them.
Check the System’s Contactor
The contactor in your air conditioning unit acts as a switch and regulates the flow of electricity in your system. It also automatically engages or disengages based on the signals it receives from the system’s thermostat throughout the day and night.
Schedule Routine HVAC Services
Most of these tasks should be handled by a professional HVAC technician. A technician from our team will perform your AC system’s tune-up according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. A seasonal tune-up can also maintain an active warranty you have on your air conditioner and lower or eliminate your repair costs.
Learn About Our Air Conditioner Services
The team at Armour Home Comfort has 30 years of experience in the HVAC industry. This experience allows us to offer competent maintenance, repair, and replacement services for your home’s air conditioner. Along with getting your air conditioner ready for spring, we can also work on your home’s heating system. We offer services within 24 hours.
As about our Armour Home Comfort Club maintenance plan to save money on services and take the guesswork out of scheduling tune-ups! Contact us at Armour Home Comfort in Ontario to learn how we can get your AC unit ready for spring.
