The best way to keep your air conditioner operating effectively for a long time is to keep up with monthly maintenance from day one. No matter how new or old your air conditioner is, maintenance makes a difference in almost every aspect of its operation.
Aside from keeping up with maintenance on your own, it’s also important to schedule annual maintenance with our professional team. While there are tasks that you can complete as a homeowner, it’s equally important that an expert in the industry has a chance to look over your system regularly. Just give us a call to schedule AC maintenance in Riverside each year for your unit.
Choose a Filter Wisely
One of the simplest and best ways that you can care for your air conditioner is by choosing an appropriate filter for your air conditioner. All air filters come with a MERV rating that estimates the types and quantity of particles an air filter can remove from the air.
A healthy range is somewhere between an eight and a 13 on the MERV scale. Anything less than eight won’t capture enough particles to protect the inside of your air conditioner and boost indoor air quality. Anything higher than a 13 may be too much for your air conditioner to handle. Your AC unit may struggle to pull airflow through the dense fibers of a particularly strong air filter.
Maximize Airflow
Choosing a great filter is only the first step. After that, you also have to make sure you change the filter out in a timely manner. Many air filters are rated to last for a single month, but some can be left in place for anywhere from three to six months.
Just be sure to read the label before purchasing an air filter so you know how often you need to change it out. It’s also a good idea to purchase more than one air filter at a time so that when you do you need to swap filters, you have one ready. Remembering the exact day you put a filter in place can be difficult, so don’t rely on your memory alone.
Instead, write the date on the side of the filter and you will know exactly when you put it into place. Then set some type of reminder to check the air filter a little ahead of when you need to change it out. It’s possible that your air filter will get dirty faster, especially if you have children and pets.
Take Action to Prevent Leaks
You also need to clean out the condensate drain line of your air conditioner monthly using vinegar. The condensate drain line is where humidity collects and forms droplets that drain outside of your home. Lowering the overall humidity is a great way to help your home to feel cooler without having to adjust the thermostat down anymore.
In fact, balanced humidity can actually help your home feel up to 4° cooler. Unfortunately, the condensate drain line is very prone to clogs because of the moisture in a dark space. Rinsing the line regularly with vinegar helps to prevent mold growth that clogs the line and allows water to spill back out into your home.
Pay Attention to Problems
It’s also good to be very aware of how your air conditioner is operating. If you begin to notice changes in operation, loud noises, or bad odors, then you need to give us a call for service. Something may be going wrong inside of your air conditioner that needs to be fixed before it leads to a total system breakdown.
Contact RKM Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment with us for AC maintenance. Done Right, Priced Right.