Air Conditioning - Routine Maintenance

There are many routine maintenance procedures that you can take to keep your air conditioning system running at peak efficiency. In Frederick Maryland where I live, it is essential to routinely maintain the air conditioning and heat pump unit to help keep utility costs down, and it is imperative where you live as well.

In order to keep your air conditioning running at its highest efficiency, it is always best to have your unit or units periodically serviced by a professional. Whether this is done by the contractor who installed your HVAC units, or another contractor that you have a set up a service agreement with, you should have them service your air conditioning at least once a year.

However, there are many things that you can do between professional servicing that will extend the life of your system and lower your electricity costs as well.

Probably the most important procedure that you can perform is to clean the air filter every month. Not only does this keep the system running smoothly, it reduces the amount of airborne dust and dirt from being transported through your home. There are many different types of filters that can be used in an air conditioning system, and it is important to understand how your filter for your particular system works.

There are some filters that need to be washed with soap and water and then laid out to be dried before being re-installed into the unit itself. These type of filters can last for several years, and if cleaned every month, will keep your system running at optimal condition.

Then there are some filters that will need to be gone over with a vacuum. These filters will need to be replaced every year. Your service technician can tell you more about what type of filter that you have in your air conditioning system and can give you the servicing routine for each type of filter.

Then there is the outside units themselves. First off, if your outside units are in a corner of the house, make sure that you clean the area around the units periodically. Any mulch, grass clippings and debris should be removed from around the units, and every six months, you should remove the grill cover and take a garden hose and wash down the fins on the unit. Just be careful not to spray with too much pressure against the fins on the air conditioning unit. This will help the outside parts of the system running smoothly.

Also, if you live in a colder climate and receive any kind of snow or sleet during the winter, make sure that you protect the units from sucking in the snow into the fins. This will eventually turn into a solid block of ice if left unchecked. As the unit is trying to heat your home, the snow will be pulled into the unit, filtering in through the fins and becoming frozen. Install a shelter around the units leaving about three feet of clearance around the unit itself, even on the top. This will keep any unwanted snow and ice from accumulating in or on the unit.