Paperblog

Turn the AC Up as the Heat Rises

Each year in Hamilton, Ontario, there are certain seasons that we look forward to. Some like the cold brought by winter and the idea of frolicking in the snow. Others like autumn and revel in the muted colors of the environment. There are those who like spring because who doesn’t, right? The blossoming florals and the loud chirping of the birds ease your stresses away. But there’s also summer. Long vacations, trips to who knows where, and a day out in the sun, sand, and beach is what a perfect summer looks like. But it can also mean long days and nights drenched in sweat if you haven’t summer-proof your home just yet.

With the technology we have today, it is easy to beat the heat by equipping your home with a cooling system that can efficiently cool down your place despite of the sweltering heat outside. Depending on your home’s structure, you have various cooling system choices to choose from.

And like everything else in the world, time pass by and summer is almost here. Yet have you ever, thought of checking on your AC or centralized cooling system if it is up for the job of working nonstop just so you and your family won’t feel as much of the heat and humidity outside.

With summer heat just around the corner, now is the ideal time to schedule an air conditioning tune-up. Early air conditioner maintenance can prevent many small problems from becoming bigger, more expensive problems in the long run.  Furthermore, scheduling your air conditioner checkup now will save you the long waits and higher prices that come with peak season heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) repair visits.

And you guessed it right, what your air conditioning system needs is a tune up. Those who have the foresight to prepare for seasonal changes take the initiative in checking on their home HVAC system, specifically their AC, if the months and years of use has reduced its functions performance-wise.

No matter how cliché it may sound, prevention is still better than cure. The weeks prior summer is also the best time to make these checkups as the AC is not overly used yet and you can afford not having it working. Come summer, it will likely be running for as long as somebody is in the house giving you no leeway to have a pro check on it.

Richard Benavides with Climate Doctors said things have really picked up in recent weeks with temperatures in the 90's.  If they're wanting standard maintenance for the summer time, they're looking at anywhere between five to eight days wait. If they have an emergency service that they need, it could be anywhere between 24 and 48 hours before we can get out,” said Benavides. He said units produce more water in warmer months and that can cause condensation problems.  Condensers get dirty from people mowing and leaf blowing. Having an outside unit get too dirty can cause an issue.

During these checkups, usual problems caused by wear and tear may be identified by the AC expert and fixed before the problem blows up in the summer. After all, the AC is like any machine whose performance reduces as time passes by.

You won’t also have that much of a hard time looking for someone to come over your home for an AC tune up because the demand for their services isn’t that high yet. It peaks during summer, by which time you’ll end up on a long waiting list and a malfunctioning AC, or worst, not working at all.

A typical maintenance checkup should include the following:

— Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.

— Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.

— Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increase the amount of electricity you use.

— Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central A/C. A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.

— Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to ensure the system starts, operates and shuts off properly.

An AC professional knows exactly what needs to be done during this tune up. They may be just a few tweaks here and there but you’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes to your air conditioner in the long run.

There are a list of things an expert does to your cooling system to ensure it stays working as it should and some of them were mentioned above. Some are a bit technical that is not for a regular homeowner to tinker with.