Before you call a heating and cooling technician to take a look at your unit, there are a few simple repairs you can try yourself. This is especially handy if your a/c conks out on a Sunday morning. These simple repairs are also a good part of your annual maintenance plan. With regular cleaning, dust, dirt, and debris can clog your cooling fins, your coolant level can become low, and your blower may get dusty and dirty. While you can handle most of these maintenance and repair tasks in about an hour, only a professional Phenix City, AL heating and cooling professional can check your coolant levels.

The first piece of your cooling unit you want to check is the condenser. Begin by turning off the power, either on the unit itself or the main power switch for your home. Locate the condenser fins, which are small metal blades located around the unit. These fins accumulate dust, dirt, leaves, grass and pollen, which blocks the air flow into your home. If the airflow is blocked, your unit has to work harder to cool the home, using more power, which costs you more money.  Vacuum the fins with your household vacuum cleaner. You may want to use an attachment to reach some of the fins. You can then remove any remain debris with a soft brush. If you have are bent, you can gently straighten them back into shape with a butter knife.

Once the outside of you condenser is clean, unscrew the fan to gain access to the inside of the unit. Vacuum the inside of the unit, if you can reach. You may find that mice and other small animals like to winter in there, so be prepared for any animal debris. Use a hose to rinse of the fins and then check the motor to make sure it is properly lubricated. Add five drops of electric motor oil and then replace the fan.

Head inside your home and replace your dirty air filter and remove any particles and debris in the grill of this unit. You can use a vacuum or a soft cloth or brush to scrap away caked on dirt and dust.  Now you are ready to see if your maintenance and repairs worked.

Turn the power back on, and set the thermostat to cool, and select a lower than normal temperature. After about fifteen minutes, check the insulated tube- it should be cool. If it’s cool, you’ve fixed your problem and increased the energy efficiency of your unit. If you need a professional to take a look, there a number of HVAC specialists in and around Phenix AL. You will pay for both parts and labor if you need some professional help.

If you prefer to have a professional come out and complete a full diagnostic of your heating and air unit, be sure to make you appointment right around spring break or the beginning of the summer. Heating and air units in Phenix City, AL get a lot of use once the first heat wave heats, so make sure yours is running well before the temperature starts to rise.