When the snow starts to melt in the spring, you’ll want to examine your heating and cooling system to make sure it is ready for the summer season. Follow these tips to make sure your system is in top working order. If you have any questions or concerns, give Armstrong Comfort Solutions a call. We can come to your home for a maintenance visit or just a general inspection. We can make sure that if there are any areas of concern, that you have the knowledge-in-hand to make the right decision on any repairs or replacements.
- Test your system early. If your system doesn’t turn on as it should, early testing will provide enough time for a repair or replacement before you need it to work.
- You may smell a musty smell the first time you turn it on for the season, which can be fixed by having our team clean the indoor coil with cleaner. It is then recommended that a special UV light be installed to reduce the growth of mold and bacteria.
- The most important tip is regularly changing out your furnace filter. A dirty or clogged filter can cause your system to work harder than it should. Over time, it wears down the components and cause early repairs that may not have been necessary if you are changing your filter frequently.
- Clean around the outdoor air conditioning unit or heat pump. Make sure there are no leaves, twigs or bushes on or in your system.
- Test and clean your cooling system. If you are unfamiliar with performing this work yourself, which is typical for most homeowners, having an Armstrong Comfort Solutions HVAC Technician come to your home for a maintenance and cleaning can help increase the efficiency of how your system runs. Part of a cleaning can include evaporator and condenser coil cleaning. These parts are fragile and can damage easily. The cleaning of these parts is best left to a professional.
- Our HVAC technicians can also run performance tests and assess the wear and tear of your unit. They can check for proper refrigerant levels and clean out your blower, the part of your system that sends newly cooled air back into your home. Accumulation of dust on your blower can compromise air quality. The HVAC technician will identify and fix small repairs before they become major problems.
- If you have a ductless system, you will want to clean the outside of the indoor unit with a damp cloth to prevent dust accumulation. To ensure proper air flow around the unit, don’t put bookcases, picture frames, or furniture close to the mini split. There is a removable air filter that should be cleaned regularly. You will want to check your owner’s manual for how often a cleaning is recommended. You might need to clean it more often if your home has pets or if the occupants of the home are sensitive to dust. You will want to visually inspect your outdoor condenser unit. If it looks dirty, it is recommended to have our team come out to clean it for you. There is a motor and fragile condenser fins that you do not want to damage. Just like on a traditional system, cleaning the outdoor condenser unit on a mini split system is best left to the professionals.
- Clearing your outdoor air condenser is important for the longevity of your system. Not sure what an air condenser is? Our team will take your worry away and make sure the air conditioning condenser is free of any weeds or vegetation. This is to make sure air can move freely around the unit.
- If you have any specialty equipment installed, such as humidifiers and air cleaners, they may need additional attention. You can call us today to talk about the specific maintenance needs for your equipment.