When your air conditioning system gives out in the middle of the hot summer season, it’s highly inconvenient. Getting emergency repairs can be expensive and frustrating because many are often preventable. With Lake Park’s high heat and humidity throughout much of the year, your air conditioning system is working non-stop. Fortunately, there are five practical ways that we’ll share with you to help prevent sudden breakdowns from occurring.
1. Schedule Routine HVAC Maintenance
One of the most widely known ways of minimizing your risk of needing AC repair is to schedule routine AC maintenance. Schedule your appointment early in the spring so that your system runs efficiently and safely all summer.
Our team will check your system for worn parts, low refrigerant, dirty coils, and electrical issues. By catching these problems early on, we can repair them before you have a system emergency. Routine maintenance helps your equipment last longer, cuts energy costs, and keeps your warranty valid.
2. Replace Air Filters Regularly
While your air filter is great for boosting air quality and protecting your AC system, it can cause issues when it gets too dirty. When the fibers of your filter have too much debris on them, this can restrict airflow throughout your system. This puts excessive strain on your cooling system, which reduces its output and your overall comfort. This increases your risk of experiencing issues like frozen coils and unexpected system breakdowns.
We recommend pulling your air filter out of its housing every month and inspecting it. You want to hold it up to a light and physically look through the filter. If you can’t see through the filter, it’s time to replace it with a new one. Also, look for clumps of debris on the surface of your filter. You should always have a spare filter on hand so that you can do a replacement whenever necessary.
If you have severe allergies, asthma, or another breathing issue, choose a filter with a MERV rating of 11 to 13. These filters cost more, but they provide stronger filtration for home cooling systems.
3. Keep the Outdoor Unit Clear
Your outdoor condenser unit plays a critical role in releasing heat to the outdoors. Anytime your unit gets blocked with things like grass, storm debris, leaves, or overgrown landscaping, it can reduce heat output. This will increase the temperature inside your home and leave you feeling uncomfortable.
It’s always a good idea to clear the area around your condenser unit at least once a month and after every major storm. Be sure to trim back any landscaping to create 2 to 3 feet of open space surrounding your entire condenser unit. This prevents your system from working too hard to cool your home and reduces strain.
4. Watch for Early Warning Signs
As a homeowner, it’s important to be mindful of early warning signs that indicate an issue with your cooling system. Reacting promptly to these issues can help prevent further damage from happening to your unit. Some key signs that you never want to ignore include weak airflow, strange noises, odd smells, rising energy bills, warm air, and short-cycling. While these problems may be subtle at first, they will undoubtedly get worse over time.
5. Address Electrical Issues Right Away
Some issues with your home AC system can be the result of electrical problems. Issues like buzzing sounds, flickering lights, burning smells, or tripped breakers usually mean you have an unsafe electrical problem in your HVAC system. Fortunately, CMi A/C & Electrical has extensive experience when it comes to both electrical and HVAC systems, making us the perfect solution when problems arise.
Homeowners should turn off their HVAC system right away if they notice any electrical-related problem. You never want to continue to run your system, as doing so could increase your risk of experiencing an electrical problem like a fire. All electrical problems with your HVAC system are an emergency.
Prevent HVAC Emergencies With Help From CMi A/C & Electrical
As a homeowner, routine maintenance, regular filter changes, and keeping the area around your outdoor unit clean all help prevent major AC breakdowns. It’s also important to look for early warning signs of malfunction and address electrical issues promptly.
Contact CMi A/C & Electrical for emergency HVAC repair, HVAC maintenance, or electrical service in Lake Park, FL, today.
