One thing that most homeowners look forward to during the summertime is coming home to a nice and cool home environment. Gone are the days of opening the windows and sweating miserably while the thermometer keeps increasing. Today, we have whole-home air conditioning systems that can maintain a comfortable temperature so that our families can enjoy their time spent indoors. Getting your system ready for the rough summer ahead is pretty easy to do with the right strategy.

Start by Changing Your Air Filter

The summertime air can carry a lot of airborne pollutants that can be damaging to your health and allergies. A good way to combat these harmful pollutants is to put a new air filter in your centralized air conditioning system. Depending on the overall size of your system, you may have one or more filters.

Take the filter out and put in a new one. You have three main filter options. These are pleated filters, HEPA filters, and fiberglass filters. Fiberglass filters are cheap and don’t filter as many airborne particles as pleated and HEPA filters. HEPA filters are the most expensive, and they filter 99.97% of airborne particles. Most homeowners opt for the pleated filter, which provides good filter capability at an affordable price.

Program Your Thermostat

When it comes to running your home air conditioning system, energy efficiency is the name of the game. Your objective is to keep your family comfortable while keeping your finances intact. One of the best ways to make your home air conditioning system energy efficient is to program your thermostat.

If you don’t currently have a programmable thermostat, consider upgrading to one. Ideally, you’ll want to set the temperature to a comfortable 78 degrees at times when your family is home or on their way home. Whenever your family is not at the house, it’s best to have the thermostat set to 88 degrees. This way, the system doesn’t unnecessarily run when no one is home.

Clean Your Indoor Unit

Turn your air conditioner off at the breaker and remove the access panel that is hiding the components of your indoor air conditioning unit. Start by cleaning the evaporator coil. The easiest way to do this is to utilize a foaming cleanser specifically designed for evaporator coils. The foaming cleanser will remove the debris, and it will drip into the drain pan.

Your next order of business is to clean the drain and drainpipe. A 50/50 solution of bleach and water should do the job. Make sure that there is no remaining debris or hard water buildup. Your drain and drainpipe need to be completely clear to ensure that there won’t be any water backup in your system.

Clean Your Outdoor Compressor Unit

With the breaker still in the off position, head to your outdoor unit. Start by assessing the area around it. Cut back any shrubs or branches that are within a couple of feet of the unit. It’s vital for the operation of your air conditioning system to have adequate breathing room around the compressor unit.

Remove the unit cover and set it to the side. Use a condenser coil cleaner to remove any stuck-on debris that is on the coil. Grab your hose, and spray out any loose debris on the fins or other components of your outdoor compressor unit. Withhold the temptation to use a pressure washer as it could damage the sensitive components inside of your compressor unit.

Take a moment to bend any fins back into place. You can use a fin comb from your hometown hardware store or a pair of pliers. Each fin should be straight before you put the cover back on your outdoor compressor unit.

Wash Your Vents

There are many vents throughout your home that supply and return air throughout your entire ventilation system. You’ll want to remove these vents from the walls and floors. It’s very common for the grates of the venting to get coated with a layer of nasty dirt and grime.

Use soap and water to clean off these vents. Let them dry fully before reinstalling them. While the vents are drying, it’s highly advisable to use a vacuum to remove any loose debris and dirt that is sitting inside of the ductwork that you have access to. The more debris that you remove now, the fewer pollutants that will be present in your indoor air.

Fast AC Service

Getting your AC serviced is as easy as calling Galbreath Air. We have experienced technicians that can assist you with all of your heating, cooling, duct sealing, and indoor air quality needs throughout the Richmond Hill, Georgia, region.