Follow These Tips to Prepare Your AC for the Summer Heat

With spring slowly coming to a close, North Carolina is going to be looking at the longer, warmer days of summer. That means school’s out, lazy afternoons, and the heat and humidity that can sometimes be overwhelming on the hottest days.

It’s a good thing, then, that many homes have an answer to this discomfort, and that’s an air conditioning system. But for owners of a central air conditioning system, it’s not just enough to turn the unit and let it cool down the home throughout the summer months.

To make the most of your air conditioner, and avoid paying more than you should, try following our maintenance tips to get ready for the summer season.

Clean Out Your Condenser

Today’s air conditioners are centralized and typically have a large unit, known as a condenser, that is installed outside the home.

The condenser has a fan built inside that is designed to draw in air, then lower its temperature with a coolant so that it can be pumped into the furnace and, from there, circulated throughout a house. 

Since this unit needs to establish easy, efficient air flow, it’s largely exposed.

But unfortunately, it only has grating to keep out larger objects without disrupting the air.

This does mean, however, that smaller particles, such leaves, can still often squeeze in and settle into the condenser.

If your home has plants or trees in the vicinity of the condenser, inspect your unit for leaves and other detritus then clean it out.

To ensure that you retain your efficiency, don’t make your AC work harder than it needs to.

Regularly Replace the Filter

The most common central air configuration is one where the unit is integrated with the home furnace.

This usually means that both the furnace and the AC will rely on the same filter in order to provide both efficiency and protection.

If your home’s HVAC system is built this way, it’s recommended you replace the filter four times a year, with the change of a season, so every three months.

A clean filter is important to maintaining your HVAC efficiency.

It keeps the unit heating and cooling at top performance levels, but it also keeps you healthy.

The filter traps contaminants in the air and keeps them from endlessly circulating throughout the home.

Use Your Thermostat Smartly

If your home is still using an older, analog thermostat without a digital interface, think about upgrading it this year.

Newer thermostats are often more accurate, meaning you don’t need to hear or cool your home unnecessarily.

The other big feature of newer thermostats is they can be programmed to follow a schedule.

You can set your AC to be inactive during the day if there’s no one home, and start cooling down once people arrive.

Some newer thermostats even allow you to do this with your phone!