3 Simple Mid-Season A/C Maintenance Tasks

With the Northern Georgia summer temperatures back in the nineties, your A/C is undoubtedly working hard each and every day. Even if you’re no Mr. of Ms. Fixit, you can help prevent breakdowns and make your A/C’s job as easy as possible by performing a few simple maintenance tasks as the summer wears on:

  1. Change Your Air Filter

    In case you didn’t know, your air conditioner has an air filter that should be changed at least every three months on average, and up to every month during high demand times.  Keeping your air filter clean is important because it allows maximum airflow to your A/C unit. Dirty filters reduce the efficiency of your air unit and cause extra wear and tear.

    Most air filters are located within your home on the return air duct for the air conditioner, located somewhere in your house. Other units may have a filter located in your basement on your heat pump. You should check these filters every month during the cooling season, so if you haven’t replaced yours this summer, it’s definitely time to investigate.

    Your filter is probably a flat filter that can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Look at the frame of the filter to see its dimensions.

  2. Clean Up Around the Condenser Unit

    The outdoor condenser unit of your air conditioner is more important than you might think. It is responsible for dispersing the heat leftover from the cooling process into the surrounding environment.

    Since these units are outside though, they can quickly accumulate dirt and debris such as grass clippings, leaves, or weed growth. This buildup means that the condenser has a harder time emitting excess heat, leading to inefficient A/C operation.

    You can “service” your condenser unit yourself just by cleaning off any noticeable debris or foliage that might be accumulating on your unit. The Department of Energy also recommends clearing the space around the condenser within a two-foot radius so that the condenser receives adequate airflow.

  3. Check the Condensate Drain

    Your A/C also has a drain line that removes the excess moisture created from the cooling process. If you know where yours is, check to make sure that it’s draining properly and not backed up, which can cause potential water damage problems in your home.  If there seems to be a clog, call your A/C technician.

If you notice anything out of the ordinary when performing maintenance on your air conditioner, like dirt within the condenser unit or unusual sounds coming from the A/C, don’t hesitate to call the expert technicians at Alpharetta’s Gagne Heating & Air Conditioning, especially if you didn’t have any preseason maintenance performed on your unit.

A mid-season servicing of your unit would likely be far less of a nuisance than an unexpected breakdown and service call in the ninety-degree weather.  To learn more about other steps you can take to help in the maintenance of your air conditioner, visit our Knowledge Center.