That Time Again: An Air Conditioner Maintenance Checklist

As we move into the warmer part of the year, it’s important for Florida homeowners to perform a little seasonal air conditioner maintenance. You want your air conditioner to be able to withstand the brunt of the hottest temperatures Florida can cook up, so you stay cool and comfortable all season. Simpson Air and Energy Star have an air conditioner maintenance checklist to help get you ready. Most of these tasks must be done by a professional, but you should know what to watch for when your system gets preventive maintenance:

• Check your air conditioner controls. Make sure they’re operating properly. Make sure the unit starts up, runs through a cycle and shuts down correctly with no malfunctions or strange sounds.
• Tune-up the electrical connections. Measure voltage and current on your air conditioner motor. If the electric connections are faulty it can make your system dangerous and compromise its performance.
• Inspect your air conditioner’s condensate drain. If it’s plugged or clogged that can lead to water damage to the structure of your home and cause imbalanced humidity levels.
• Clean the condenser and evaporator coils. If the coils are dirty it can affect the air conditioner’s performance, making it run longer and less efficiently. This leads to higher energy costs and compromises the integrity of the system.
• Check the refrigerant level. Low refrigerant levels could cause the evaporator coil to ice up. In extreme cases the cooling coil won’t cool at all. Too much refrigerant can damage the compressor.
• Tune-up and clean the blower elements. A clean and tuned-up blower allows for proper air flow and increases your system’s overall efficiency.
• Check the air filters. Check the air conditioner filter at least every month to catch a dirty filter before it begins to affect your unit. Dirty filters restrict air flow which decreases your comfort, imbalances your system, and can reduce its life span.
• Last but not least, check your thermostat settings. Make sure the air conditioner doesn’t run when you don’t need it.

Air conditioner maintenance doesn’t have to be a drag! Just be sure to exercise caution if you try to take this on yourself, or call Simpson Air. Our trained professionals will get your system up to snuff for the spring and summer!