Your Comprehensive Spring AC Preparation Checklist

Spring is upon us! After weeks of freezing winter temperatures, the weather has started to warm (and spring storms are starting to march through the area). With the increase in warmth comes a period of down-time for your heating and air conditioning equipment, and this provides a great opportunity to prepare your cooling system for the long months of heavy use that lie ahead. Summer is only a few months away, and even late-spring temperatures can bring about intense heat and humidity, making air conditioning a necessity.

The overwhelming majority of air conditioning breakdowns and problems occur during the first cooling cycle of the year, and that means the best time to start preparing your air conditioner is right now, before you need it. At JD Service Now, we want to be the name you turn to for help with your cooling system, so we want to provide you with tips and advice you can use to better prepare for the months ahead. Here is a short checklist of things to do that will help you enjoy a more reliable air conditioner and better energy-efficiency all summer long.

Clear a Space Around Your Outdoor Unit

Your air conditioner has two primary components: your indoor unit and your outdoor unit. Your indoor unit is typically stored in a closet or in your attic, so not much usually changes in the space around it. Your outdoor unit, on the other hand, is a different story. Outdoor units are typically placed on a small slab of concrete near the outer wall of your home, and this slab is typically surrounded by grass, weeds, plants, shrubs, flowers, and plenty of other plant life. This may look nice, but plant life actually makes life more difficult for your air conditioner by restricting airflow through the cooling fins on your outdoor unit. We recommend using early spring to trim back your grass, trim away any bushes or shrubs that might be encroaching, and create a three-foot radius around your outdoor unit to ensure maximum energy efficiency.

Change Your Air Filter

Over the winter months, there’s a strong chance that your air filter accumulated a lot of dust and debris. Central furnaces and air conditioners typically share a blower fan, and thus they also typically share an air filter. During winter months, we tend to keep our houses shut tight to avoid losing heat that we pay dearly for, and this means that the air inside often becomes packed with debris like dust, dander, pollen, and more. By the time spring rolls around, your air filter is probably quite a bit dirtier than you may expect.

While we recommend checking your air filter every month and changing it as necessary (which will typically be every three to four months), we recommend swapping your filter out at the start of the spring season to ensure your air conditioner will have maximum airflow. A new air filter is far more efficient than an old, dirty one, and running your air conditioner with a new air filter can help clean the air in your home and freshen it up, removing a lot of the debris that may have accumulated in your air without your knowledge.

Thoroughly Dust & Vacuum Your Home

Spring cleaning has a number of benefits, but did you know those can include your air conditioner as well? So much of the debris that gets caught up in our air filters can actually be removed with a thorough, whole-home cleaning. Vacuuming and shampooing carpets is a huge help, while dusting surfaces that you don’t regularly clean, also cleans away sources of quality-reducing dust that could hinder your air. You’ll love the feeling of a fresh, clean-smelling home, and the fact that the feeling will last far longer because you have put in the effort to get rid of what caused the issue.

Schedule a Tune-Up Service

Finally, one of the best things you can do for your home is schedule a tune-up service with an air conditioning professional at JD Service Now. Our maintenance and tune-up services include a number of small upkeep tasks and maintenance procedures that are all designed to ensure your air conditioner is in great condition and ready to handle the long months of sweltering weather and long use that lie ahead.

Think of it sort of like taking your car in for a tune-up before you head out on a cross-country road trip—this service will help you save gas, improve reliability, and give you peace of mind that comes from knowing your car is in good condition and ready to go. When your air conditioner is going to go through a lot of use in a short period of time, having a pro conduct a thorough preparation tune-up can make a huge difference (and save you a ton of money in both the short and long term).

Schedule your tune-up by calling JD Service Now at 919-383-7000 today.