AirAssurance 9.24.13
Near the end of a hot Oklahoma summer, it's tempting to let A/C maintenance slip to the bottom of your chores list. "It's just one or two more months," you think. "It'll get us by." But late summer and early fall is actually the perfect time to tune up your A/C. You'll get through the rest of the season without sweating, and it will be in good condition when you're ready to turn it on next spring. Below, find a few of our easy, energy-saving tips for maintaining your air conditioner at the end of its peak usage period.
Flip that filter. At the end of the year, it's time to replace your filter (or wash it, if you have washable filters). This eliminates dust, pet hair and dirt that accumulate while the A/C runs. This is also a good time to check and make sure you're using a compatible filter for your machine.
Freshen the fins, and check for obstructions. Take your garden hose and a nylon brush to clear the external fins of anything stuck to them: leaves, litter and grass. Step back and check out the surrounding plant life; try and keep hedges 10 feet away from the unit for maximum efficiency.
Look for frayed wires. Check out your window unit's cords and make sure they aren't starting to wear or haven't been subject to chewing. If you see damage, replace the cords immediately.
Order a tune-up. HVAC professionals can spot problems more easily than the average homeowner, so it's worth it to have someone come by once a year to give your air conditioner a checkup. They will check the coils, condenser, evaporator and other parts, add coolant, and just make sure everything's working properly. Though this can be done in the spring before the warm season begins, taking care of it in the fall means you're ahead of the game and ready for any unexpected indian summer days.
For more advice on end-of-season maintenance, contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow. Serving the greater Tulsa area since 1985, we're prepared to answer all your HVAC inquiries.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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