5 Ways to Get Your Air Conditioner Ready for the Summer

What’s your favorite part of summer? Is it the longer days? The pool parties? The cookouts? Whatever tickles your fancy in the warmer months, your air conditioning system must be ready for summer. 

Trust us, because we’ve seen it time and time again: someone has relied on keeping the windows open in spring, letting cooler air in, and rarely relying on the air conditioning to keep the house cool. The AC has been seldom used since the previous summer and it’s expected that, when needed, it will just fire up again like normal.

Unfortunately, that’s not always how it goes.

In this blog, we’re going to give you five helpful tips to get your air conditioning system ready for summer – so you’re not trying to fix a problem that is already becoming a big problem.

What does my air conditioner actually do?

Your air conditioner is actually one of the most important parts of your home. Indoor air quality impacts the environment of the home, whether we’re breathing healthy air or not, and regulates temperature to ensure everyone is comfortable.

This process begins and ends with the AC itself. To start, the AC system brings in air that’s already circulating throughout the home and removes it through ventilation. It then pumps in new, cooler air from the outside and keeps the flow of air consistent according to your desired temperature.

With such an important function, the last thing you want is for the air conditioner to fail or not work efficiently when you need it. Summer is no time for an expensive problem that, at best, is a major headache. 

How to prepare your AC for the warm, summer months

This is relatively easy to do – and if you feel stuck or uncomfortable making these updates yourself, Uncle Mike’s Home Service is always ready and willing to help. We are, after all, the heating and cooling experts in the Lincroft area. 

These five steps will help get your AC ready for summer and make those long, warm days stress-free (and a lot cooler). 

Clean the air conditioner’s condenser coils

Also known as the “evaporator coil,” the coils in your AC unit absorb heat from the indoor air in your home. The evaporator coil works with the condenser coils to exchange heat and bring cooler air in. These should be inspected and cleaned every year in the spring if temperatures are extremely low. It’s never a bad idea to take a look at them in winter as well.

Change the filters of your air conditioner

If your air conditioning system uses standard-size filters (between 1-3 inches), they should be replaced every 60-90 days. This is especially true if you live in an area where constant air conditioning is necessary; i.e. it’s hot more often than not in the spring and summer. Regularly changing your AC filters will keep the air quality high.

Thoroughly clean the air conditioner and remove dust, debris, and buildup

If you’d rather not tackle this yourself, two things: 1. We don’t blame you, and 2. We know a guy named Uncle Mike who can help you out. Think of this as part of your annual spring cleaning, because if you want to do it right, it’s going to take some time and some elbow grease. Scrubbing all surfaces of the AC unit — interior and exterior — is necessary to remove buildup that can (and likely will) affect its performance.

Check your unit’s coolant lines (if applicable)

If your indoor air is more humid than normal, or if you’ve noticed an uptick in your monthly energy cost, your AC unit may be running low on coolant. To check this, you need to turn the AC unit off and remove the cover. Once you remove the access panel, you should be able to see the refrigerant/coolant lines (you can also use a refrigerant pressure gauge). If the levels are low, simply add coolant. We recommend doing this 1-2 times per year.

Run a test to check the efficiency 

If you have time to step away from the home for a few hours, this is an ideal time to run a test of your air conditioning system. Set the temperature, close all doors and windows, and run some errands. When you get home, check to see if the indoor air is set to your desired temperature. The humidity levels are normal and there are no unexpected sounds coming from the unit.

Uncle Mike’s Home Service can help with your HVAC service needs

We’ve said it a million times and heck, we’ll see it again: summer is NOT the time to address your air conditioning problems. It’s the time to ENJOY an efficient and high-performing air conditioner. 

If you’ve waited until summer to get maintenance or make repairs, you’ve waited too long. And as you’ve just read, much of the routine checklist items can be done on your own!

And if you need a little extra help. We’re there. With Uncle Mike’s Home Service, you get access to experienced professionals who specialize in air conditioning. And who will thoroughly examine your systems to identify problems, make the necessary tune-ups, and get you all set for the new season.

You can call us at 844-900-MIKE, or fill out our online contact form to request a free estimate or schedule an appointment.