It never fails. A heat wave is covering the Miami area and the air conditioner in your home starts blowing out warm air or stops running completely. Along with hundreds of other people in our community, you pick up the phone to call your HVAC specialist, as you and your family brave the heat. While some A/C issues absolutely require a professional to service them, here are a few tips that can be used to lower the chance of this happening to you this summer.
Max-Out the Air Flow
To work properly, your air conditioner needs to pull air through the system, including recirculating air throughout the rooms of your home. If this process is obstructed in any way, it can cause problems in your unit. To assure you have the manufacturer suggested air flow, make sure to keep space around the vents - indoors and outside. This includes scaling back vegetation and cleaning dirt away from vents.
Use a Programmable Thermostat
Beyond helping reduce energy costs by regulating your home’s temperature, programmable thermostats can also help minimize impact on your system. Set your thermostat to be on only when you are actually in your home.
Another tip is to program your thermostat for extended run-cycles. While this action won’t prevent problems, it can help reduce humidity in your Miami area home. This can give you a more comfortable environment, in addition to keep mold spores from growing in your home.
Watch Out for Those Pests
For some reason certain bugs and pests are attracted to air conditioning units, which can be damaging if they get inside the system. To keep ants and other pests away, use an eco-friendly pesticide around the base of the unit to keep them from “bugging” your air conditioner.
Stay Level
Nearly all outdoor A/C units are placed on a concrete slab or other platform, allowing them a level base of operation. However, over time these can settle or sag, impacting the performance of the air conditioner. Every now and then, look at your outdoor component to confirm that the base continues to stay level.
Obviously, regular maintenance, such as lubrication and filter changes, are pretty important to keep your air conditioner running smoothly. Try to schedule annual maintenance service before the summer starts to ensure your system is ready to face the hot days ahead. Following these suggestions, you may be able to minimize A/C problems and have a stress-free and climate controlled home all summer.