1. Call in an HVAC Service Technician Once a Year
If you want your air conditioner to keep your house cool for many summers to come, the best thing you can do is have an HVAC service tech test the unit every spring, clean it, and adjust it. They are best equipped to go over everything that could be preventing your conditioning from blowing the coolest air possible. To save money, sign up for an annual HVAC maintenance contract to service both your air conditioner and your furnace. This is the gold standard, but if you want to do it yourself there are two things you can do.
2. Clean Return Air Vents and Replace Filters
HVAC techs constantly recommend changing your air filters regularly and they’re not just making this up to sell more filters. Replace an air filter and you can see for yourself how dirty it is from trapping dust and debris. The more clogged the filter, the less air flow and the less cool your air conditioning will be. During months of high usage, replace filters monthly. Be sure you know where your return air filters are located—sometimes there’s only one alongside the furnace, but there can also be a filter at each return air vent. While you’re checking those return air vents, be sure to vacuum them thoroughly to remove all dust.
3. Clean the Condenser Coils on the Outdoor Air Conditioner
Go outside to your air conditioning unit and make sure it is free of obstructions such as grass, weeds, vines, and globs of leaves and debris. Though a professional HVAC service tech can do this better, you can clean the condenser coils. First, turn off the power to the unit. Next, get yourself a bottle of dish detergent, ideally one that is about 80 to 90% empty.
Fill it with water to make a soapy solution. Then squirt this soapy solution on the outside front of the air conditioner. You should be squirting through some kind of vents or caging to the condenser coils. On most units, these are visible on three sides. Get them soapy and after a few minutes of soaking time, use a garden hose to spray the soap away. You’ll see dirty water and debris flow away from the unit. Give it an hour to dry up before restoring the power.
Important
Whenever you are working around any part of your HVAC system, always use caution and turn off the device first.
If your air conditioner still can’t keep up and cool your house after you’ve replaced the filters and cleaned the condenser coils, call an HVAC service tech to do an a/c inspection to determine the problem. On the other hand, an annual HVAC service contract will keep your air conditioning running well and you’ll just need to replace air filters regularly.
