It was only a few weeks ago that a major March blizzard struck most of the Northeast, including here in Burlington and Plattsburgh. The weather has warmed up a touch since then, but we’re still experiencing cold tempeartures at the official start of spring. It may feel as if the real spring warmth is a long ways off.
But it isn’t! April is the month when the last of the cold weather stirs around and finally gives way to the heat that rises until its mid-summer peak. Even though we’re still dealing with chilly outdoor temperatures, this is the time of the year to start thinking about your air conditioning and ready it for the coming hot weather. We’ll look at how you can prepare your home’s AC for the late spring and summer.
Spring Air Conditioning Maintenance
This is the essential step when it comes to getting an AC prepped for hot weather. Over a year, an air conditioner will pick up enough strain to start to wear down its parts and make it work inefficiently—or worse, in danger of developing a major malfunction that will shut it down. Regular maintenance is designed to alleviate this strain and look for places where repairs may be necessary before the system starts its regular season work.
Maintenance is a job for trained HVAC professionals only. Although you can do a few simple steps on your own (and we’ll look at them below), the bulk of the work involves knowledge of refrigeration systems and specialized tools. During maintenance, an HVAC technician provides the air conditioner with a complete inspection of all components, adjustments where necessary, cleaning for the motors and the outdoor coil, and a check on the refrigerant level.
Change the Air Filter
This is a job for the spring but also for the rest of the summer. The air filter in the HVAC system is what protects the interior cabinet of the air conditioner and air handler from dust, dirt, and other debris that can come through the return air vents. Before the air conditioner starts up for the middle of the year, this filter needs to be changed for a clean one to eliminate all the build-up. You’ll need to change the filter every 1 to 3 months afterwards, depending on the strength of the filter.
Schedule Any Lingering Repairs
If your air conditioner shut down in the fall with any potential problems, now is the time to have them taken care of. You don’t want the AC to start up with any faults that could lead to it breaking down. If you already know about the problems, call for professional repairs as soon as possible. Otherwise you can expect your maintenance technician to find any hidden troubles during the inspection, and you can schedule the repair work right away.
When you need help with your air conditioning system in Burlington, VT, we’re the people to call. We offer 24-hour service for repairs, either for your heater or your air conditioner.
Red Rock Mechanical LLC: Serving Northwest Vermont and the Plattsburgh, NY area for over 23 years.
