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An AC unit can help to cool down the room and make everyone feel comfortable, especially during the peak of the summer. However, an AC unit can be quite costly, so you need to ensure that your purchase will last long inside your home. This will help to make your investment worth it as you can enjoy cool air for as long as possible.
As soon as you buy your AC, the next thing that should come to play is how you can maintain it well. Proper maintenance can help to extend its lifespan as you keep them clean and fully functional for years to come. To help you make the most out of your purchase, here’s a guide on how to extend the life of your AC unit:
Address Issues Immediately
If you notice that your AC is showing signs of damage, such as leaks, noisy operation, not blowing cool air, or giving off a weird scent, call the best professionals in AC repair Alexandria or your local area has to offer. Neglecting this can lead to bigger damage, which might require you to replace your unit immediately, leading to a higher cost.
Admittedly, some households ignore addressing issues immediately as they think it’s normal for their AC. They could also be in denial that there’s something wrong with their AC or don’t have enough time to call for help. While it might consume your entire afternoon, addressing AC issues can help prevent the problem from worsening and extend your unit’s lifespan. It’ll be a small weekend sacrifice for years of amazing service for your home.
Schedule For Regular Maintenance
You shouldn’t just call for professionals whenever your AC is experiencing problems. To extend the life of your AC, you should schedule it for its regular maintenance at least quarterly. This allows a professional to look over your unit and provide necessary repairs and replacements to ensure it operates smoothly.
Yes, an AC unit is subject to regular wear and tear. However, there are some parts you may not see. In this case, a professional would disassemble your unit to inspect its condition. This gives a comprehensive view of its condition and allows them to provide any necessary fixes. During the process, they can also clean your unit thoroughly, as it’ll accumulate dust and dirt over time, even if you don’t use them. Dirt and debris on your AC can cause blockage, degrading your AC’s lifespan as it’ll work extra hard to provide you with the necessary service.
Regularly Change Air Filter
Your AC has air filters that help to prevent any dust, debris, or dirt from entering your unit. Luckily, this is something you can easily take in and out of your unit without pulling the entire unit out of your home. This allows for a quicker cleaning process as you can conveniently pull them out of the unit, take them out for a quick wash, and put them back. It’s that fast and easy! While this is a quick process, not everyone does this regularly.
Ideally, you should change and clean your air filter depending on the manufacturer’s label. In most cases, you should clean or replace them every three months to maximize your AC’s efficiency. If you choose to let your AC sit with a dirty filter, it might not achieve proper airflow as plenty of debris gets in the way, causing your AC to overwork.
Maximize Airflow From Vents
Your AC needs room to breathe properly indoors and outdoors. Apart from your air filters, your entire unit needs plenty of air to move around, as debris can cause your AC to overwork, leading to faster wear and tear. To prevent this from happening, you should maximize airflow from your vents.
Ideally, you should keep open space from your outdoor vents and prevent anything from blocking its airflow. This includes removing any plants around and placing them somewhere else. For your indoor unit, you should avoid putting anything that could obstruct where it slightly sucks up the indoor air. While an AC unit might not be aesthetically pleasing, you shouldn’t cover them up and allow them to breathe and function properly.
Turn Off When Not In Use
Unlike your HVAC unit, an AC doesn’t need to be turned on during the day, especially if you need to head out. Even if you adjust the temperature to something a bit warmer, it’s not necessary as it’s not keeping your home well-ventilated but rather just cool. If you need to leave, you’ll need to turn off your AC and turn them on again once you arrive back home.
You can also purchase a smart AC to control the unit even when you’re away if you want to keep your room cool moments before you arrive so you wouldn’t have to wait for cool air. With this, you can wirelessly turn on your AC once you’re near your home to welcome yourself with cool air.
Air Seal Your Home
If you’ve noticed that your AC is having trouble with cooling your room, even if your windows and doors are shut, there might be someplace the air is getting out of that you’re unaware of. It could be the small gaps in your doors or windows, cracks, or holes in your walls that you cannot see. Even if they’re small and seem harmless, if they let any indoor air escape, you’re forcing your unit to work harder.
If your AC cannot reach the desired temperature of your room, it’ll force your unit to work twice as hard throughout the entire day. To prevent it from happening, you should air-seal your home and close any gaps and holes using a caulk.
Use Window Treatments
Apart from your holes and gaps, the sunlight that comes through your window can also affect your AC’s efficiency. Even if they’re only sunlight, they can also help bring additional heat inside the room, which forces your AC to work harder. To let your AC run efficiently, you should use window treatments around the room.
Takeaway
Your responsibility of owning an AC unit doesn’t stop with repairing them during damages. To extend your AC’s lifespan, you should maintain it well and provide any necessary measures to your home to allow it to run efficiently throughout the entire day. While it might require a bit of added effort, it’ll surely be worth it as you prevent yourself from purchasing another unit in a small period from your first purchase.