6 Things You Can Do to Extend the Life of Your A/C Unit

At Jones Services we understand how frustrating it can be when your trusty, old war horse of an A/C goes down. Repair or replacement can be expensive and in the mean time your home will be stuffy and uncomfortable. Here are six things that can help extend the life of your air conditioning unit and keep it running long into this summer and the next.

1. Clean and monitor your outdoor unit. The outdoor part of your air conditioning system should be completely free of mulch, weeds or other green matter. An overgrown A/C unit will not be running properly so if you do not maintain the area directly around it, you will pay for it later. Additionally, you should make sure the outdoor unit is properly placed. To function effectively, it needs to be sitting flat, level and higher than the ground around it so water cannot accumulate in the unit when it rains. Do not attempt to move or place an outdoor unit yourself. It is very easy to damage the lines running to and from your A/C condenser.
2. Change your air conditioning system’s filters. This is absolutely crucial to the longevity of your A/C. One of our service professionals will check this during your maintenance tune up, but checking or changing the filter once per summer is not enough. Summer brings dry, dusty conditions that when combined with things like pet hair or pollen can completely clog even a recently cleaned air filter.
3. Clear your A/C drain line. Your A/C unit works to combat the humid effects of summer by removing moisture from your home. Make sure your system is equipped for this task by flushing 1 cup of chlorine bleach down your A/C drain and rinsing it thoroughly with a gallon of water. This will help you keep it clean during the summer months. Another option is adding an “E-Z Trap” to your current A/C system. The trap’s clear tubing allows you to clearly see any potential blockages to your drain line so you can manually remove them before they become a problem.
4. Use a programmable thermostat. Turning up your home’s temperature when you are asleep or out of the house can save you a bundle on your energy bill. One of the benefits of installing a programmable thermostat can be preset to lower the temperature before you return home and ensure you will never just forget to turn your A/C system on or off.
5. Clean your indoor coil. Dirt can easily build up on the evaporator coils inside your A/C which prevents them from properly cooling air before it is delivered into your home. The culprit behind dirty coils is often an old or clogged air filter. If the last filter you installed was of poor quality or if it’s been awhile since it was cleaned, your coils may not be functioning properly. In that case, one of our service professionals can clean the coils for you, but its best to try and prevent it from coming to that.

Schedule a regular maintenance check with Jones Services. Sticking to a maintenance schedule can make all the difference when it comes to the longevity of your A/C. Regular service visits from a Jones service professional will keep your system humming along at peak performance.