Testing Your Central AC System

By taking these few quick and easy steps, you can test your AC system to ensure that it is functioning safely and efficiently throughout the summer.

• Wait until outside temperatures are above 60 degrees.

• Set thermostat to cool instead of heat.

• Turn temperature down to low or fan to auto setting to make sure the system switches on.

• Let system run for 8-10 minutes to make sure it is operating normally.

• Check that cold air is coming from your vents.

• If the thermostat seems like it’s not communicating with your HVAC or AC system, put in fresh batteries. If that doesn’t help, consider replacing the thermostat or calling your AC provider.

• Make sure the flue and all vents are open.

• Clean or change the filters.

• Once your AC system is on, be mindful of any strange smells and odd sounds.

• Make sure to move large furniture away from vents and air ducts it may be blocking.

• After testing, return the system to all previous settings.

If you notice that your AC system doesn’t seem to be working right and you’ve carried out the steps above, you should call an AC technician now before the problem gets worse. Do not try to fix any problems yourself. This could prove costly and potentially dangerous.

Getting Ready For Warmer Weather

As winter gives way to spring, residents are getting ready for warmer weather. For some, this might mean putting away winter coats and taking out shorts, sandals and Frisbees. During this time, it’s also important to ensure your home is prepared to handle the rising temperatures. Before winter, you likely had your furnace inspected to ensure it was ready for a long, cold winter. Give your air conditioning unit the same attention, and add it to your spring home maintenance checklist. When the first really hot day finally hits, you’ll want an HVAC system that’s up to the challenge of keeping your home comfortable.

Inspect your air conditioner

Taking the time to review your air conditioner will clue you into small issues that could make keeping your home comfortable difficult during the summer. Additionally, identifying problems and fixing them as soon as possible can make your unit more efficient, thus saving you money in the long run. You can conduct your own basic inspection to see if there are any major outstanding issues. A few aspects to review include:

• The filter – Dirty filters will make cooling harder on your unit, and may result in less effective air conditioning and higher energy bills.
• The condenser – Dirt and debris here will also reduce efficiency. Do this on a warm day and turn off the power first.

Checking and cleaning these features is a good place to start, but it shouldn’t replace a professional inspection, Family Handyman pointed out. A few benefits of arranging for a service technician to conduct HVAC maintenance include:

• Check coolant levels.
• Calibrating the thermostat.
• Oil the motors.
• Check electrical components.

Certain tasks like these aren’t always easy for owners to do themselves. For example, checking the coolant levels is hard, and sometimes impossible, for residents to do, but it’s an important aspect to check. Low coolant levels could indicate a leak or mechanical problem, which makes it harder for your air conditioner to provide you with cool air.

Consider an HVAC replacement

Spring and fall are arguably the two best times of year to replace your HVAC system. During these months, the temperature won’t be too extreme in either direction, and if there’s a sudden hot spell, a few fans and strategically opened windows to create a cross-breeze may be enough to keep you comfortable. Swapping out your old air conditioning unit for a heat pump is a popular solution that has cost-saving and environmentally friendly benefits. Don’t let the name fool you; these devices are excellent at keeping your home cool during the summer. Plus, since they run on electricity rather than heating oil or natural gas, there’s no need to worry about fuel supply levels. To schedule your HVAC inspection or replacement, reach out to SMO Energy. Our service technicians will be able to spot issues and make repairs or suggest replacements that will best suit your home.