Spring Cleaning Your Air Conditioner

With the crazy Chicago weather we’ve had, it is hard to tell if we are in summer or if we are in Spring! That being said, I have already had to mow my law which means it is time to do spring cleaning. Besides putting away your winter clothes, there are a few things you can do this spring to help your air conditioner run more efficient this summer.

An air conditioner that is running at its peak performance is something you want. A high efficient air conditioning unit will not only cool off your home, but it can also lower your electric bill! If your air conditioner is constantly running, you are spending way more on your electric bill than you need to be! Here are a few tips to help you save your money this summer:

1. Change your filters!  A new clean filter is good for your furnace and good for your air conditioner.  A clogged filter will make your air conditioner work harder than it needs to.  For those who can’t remember to change their filters, just do when you pay your bill (since most of us get a monthly bill).
2. Clean your condenser coil.  (That is your outdoor unit.)  The air gets sucked through the fins of your outdoor air conditioner unit, and often pulls dirt and debris with it.  If the spring, you will also find leaves, dirt, dead grass, etc on the fins and around the air conditioning unit.  This is something you may need to do a weekly or more depending on what is blowing around.  If things are getting stuck in your unit, it is making your air conditioning unit work harder (which costs you more money!).
3. Remove the top grille and clean out whatever debris you find inside!
4. Check any tubes and pipes that are connected to your unit.  You want to make sure that they are in good shape and not leaking.
5. Turn on your unit before it gets too hot out.  Listen for weird and odd noises.

These are a few easy things you can do yourself to make sure your air conditioner is working the most efficient this summer.  Hopefully, you can take some time Saturday morning to spring clean your air conditioner!  If not, please give Around The Town a call, and we’ll do this for you (and you can even sign up for a maintenance contract, so you do don’t have to worry about air conditioning tune-ups or furnace tune-ups.  We just do it for you!).