You can’t wait to get home. Rush hour traffic was bumper to bumper. It’s the middle of summer and all you can think about is relaxing in your comfortable chair at home with an iced tea in one hand and the remote in the other. It’s not going to happen! Unfortunately, you open the front door only to be hit with hot stale air. Your air conditioning unit is down. The rest of your evening is now spent looking for an air conditioning repairman that might, or might not, make an emergency call and save the evening.
What can you do as a homeowner or a business owner to save valuable time and unexpected costly repairs? Experts agree you can’t prevent every emergency.
Whenever you question or doubt what to do always call a professional HVAC (Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning) technician. However, here are five things you can do that will help lower your overall repair costs while maintaining the unit’s desired performance:
- Change Air Filters: When filters are not changed, dust and dirt build up on the squirrel cage blower fan and blades. If these are allowed to get excessively dirty other problems can snowball. Once the unit is too dirty, you will need to call the HVAC repairman for cleaning. Save money and time—regularly change the filter and inspect your unit.
- Make Sure the System is Turned On and Set to Temperature that Will Call for Cooler Air: Turn the unit on and/or lower the thermostat to call for cooler air flow.
- Make Sure the Circuit Breaker Is On: Check your breaker running into the a/c unit in your home or business.
Always remember before working on any unit or air handler that SAFETY must be first. All electricity should be turned off and the capacitor should be discharged. - Check Ducts: Check your duct system. Are there any crimps or bends in the tubing? Are any of your dampers closed? Are there parts or areas of your duct system that are blocked or loose? Any of these possibilities could hinder air flow—open the ducts, dampers, take the crimps or bends out of tubing, and fix any loose parts. You’ll see a big difference in air flow.
- Regularly Service Your System: Your system should be serviced minimally every two years. The lifetime of your unit will drop drastically without proper servicing and maintenance. Stick with a certified HVAC repairman or reputable company that is familiar with your system and the repairs that have been completed. This will save unnecessary guesswork and time should an emergency system repair be needed.
For details and technical information regarding the tips listed above, please see InspectAPedia, an online home resource.
You don’t need to be an expert. Use good judgment, follow the practical tips as listed above, and you will save money and valuable time. Now with more time and money you can relax with that iced tea.
