How to Prepare for the Summer in the Winter with These Heating and AC Repair Tips | Fort Worth, TX
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With December almost over, Fort Worth, TX residents may find that their heater needs the most attention, with parts going out and the need for extra heat to make their home comfortable. Taking this into consideration, you may find it prudent, to actually take care of your AC for the summer, as now is the perfect time to take it offline and perform more comprehensive maintenance. This is especially true if you have an outdoor air conditioner, as these units might not be ready for the summer if they get dirty or break down in the winter. It’s the perfect time to treat your air conditioner to these heating and ac repair tasks so when summer rolls around your home is ready with lots and lots of cool air.
#1: Make Sure Your Compressor Is Functioning
If you’re walking around your home or outside in your backyard, and start to hear buzzing noises that you can’t quite find the source for, it’s a good idea to check your air conditioner. Take the time to run your air conditioner, and listen for any buzzing or grinding sound, remove the grill, and see if you can find the source of the noise. The worst case scenario here is you would have to contact a heating and ac repair technician for a more specific diagnosis, but at least now you fixed the problem before the heat actually hits your home and you have to wait for the repair man to come when everybody else’s ac units are breaking down.
#2: Protect Your AC Unit from the Elements
This is an important step if your home relies on an external air conditioner, and doubly so if you’re not going to be outside as much with the temperatures being so cold. The first step you can take to protecting your ac will be looking for sources of water and detritus. Is your AC underneath a gutter for example, if it is, a leaking gutter can turn into a problem if it’s left leaking over an expensive piece of hardware for 6-8 months. Does your AC unit have about two feet of clearance around it, If it doesn’t, clear any trash or equipment around your ac unit to make sure both it gets proper airflow, and if you need to perform other maintenance on it in the future, to give you ample room to work.
#3: Schedule Inspections for a Heating and AC Repair Technician Before The Summer Comes
While it may seem easy to do all the work on your Fort Worth, TX home yourself, diagnosing and troubleshooting an air conditioner should be left to the heating and ac repair professionals, especially for small repairs that can turn into more expensive ones over time. If you get your schedule ahead of the people who wait until the last minute to call a heating and ac repair tech, you’ll have less of a headache actually securing one for when you need their help. This is also important if you have plans to replace or refurbish your air conditioner. According to the US department of energy in 2012, replacing your ac with a more energy efficient model can save between 20-40% in home cooling costs, so getting the savings passed on to you can make hiring an hvac professional worthwhile in the long run.
#4: Weather Proofing Your Air Conditioner
While it’s true that the weather in Fort Worth, TX is milder and drier than most parts of the country, cold snaps and sudden thunderstorms are still possible in the late fall. If your AC unit is exposed to sudden cold or precipitation, it can undergo parts corrosion, or freezing in especially cold temperatures. You can prevent your ac unit from taking on water by purchasing a tarp to cover it for when the weather gets bad. You can even tie it down for the winter months if you’re not going to be using the unit itself, for additional protection from dust and debris. You can also contact a heating and ac repair professional to confirm the ideal method of insulating any external pipes leading into the home. Finally, if your tarp is being used continuously, make sure to check under the air conditioner periodically in case a hole ripped in the tarp and something got under it, or if there’s any water/debris sitting on top of it.
#5 Cleaning the AC Unit Itself
The most common heating and ac repair error a homeowner can make is letting their unit get dirty. While an air conditioner runs smoothly and efficiently while clean, dirt and dust build up can accrue naturally, and taking the time to clean out your ac while it’s not in use is really important. Making sure the filters for the AC also don’t get dirty over the months is another thing to watch out for, replacing them periodically should become second nature.
#6 Check the Concrete Slab
While this may seem tedious at first, making sure your ac unit is level is important to making sure the unit runs smoothly. In the event the concrete slab is at a lower grade, the weight stops being evenly distributed throughout the unit, making it harder for the unit to function as a whole. If you find your ac unit start to lean, you can pry the slab up with a board and fill it up with gravel, leveling it out. Calling a heating and AC repair technician to inspect it may be necessary if it has been at a grade for an extended period of time, especially if it’s a heavier model of ac unit.
In Conclusion
While heating and ac repair should be ultimately done by the professionals, there are still simple tasks a homeowner can perform to prevent any unnecessary damage being done to your units in the first place. Contact One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating to schedule an appointment today.