After an Arizona winter of heating use, your home’s HVAC system has accumulated dust, dirt, and other buildup that can severely impact its performance and efficiency as temperatures rise. As the warm spring weather arrives, it’s the perfect time to give your HVAC system some thorough cleaning and maintenance to ensure smooth, reliable cooling all summer long. Here are some essential spring-cleaning tips for your home’s HVAC system.
Replace Air Filters
One of the most important and simple HVAC maintenance tasks is regularly changing out the air filters. Over time, filters become clogged with dust, pet hair, dander, and other particles they’ve trapped. This blockage forces your system to work harder, wasting energy and putting extra strain on components. Spring is an ideal time to swap dirty filters for fresh new ones.
Clean Condenser Unit
The condenser unit for your central AC is the bulky cabinet sitting outside your home. Over the winter, it likely accumulated leaves, dirt, and debris around the unit and on the coil fins. Clear away this buildup and use a pump sprayer or garden hose (never a pressure washer) to gently rinse off the condenser coils. This allows proper airflow for efficient cooling.
Clear Drainage Pipe
A clogged condensate drainpipe can allow condensation to back up into your cooling system, potentially causing water damage. Locate the PVC drainpipe from your AC unit and inspect it for blockages from sediment, algae, or mineral buildup. Use a wet/dry vacuum or pipe brush to clear out any clogs and allow proper drainage.
Check Refrigerant Levels
Low refrigerant levels make your air conditioner work harder and become less efficient. Most systems use highly stable refrigerants that shouldn’t need topping up. But have your local HVAC pro check the level and add more if needed, as well as inspect for leaks during your spring maintenance.
Ductwork Inspection
Your HVAC ducts have collected dirt and gunk all winter. In accessible crawl spaces, your local professional can inspect ductwork for dust buildup and vacuum out any contaminants. Duct leaks can also dramatically reduce cooling efficiency, wasting energy. Having a technician perform a full duct inspection and seal any air leaks is one of the best gifts you can give your HVAC system this spring.
Call Bruce’s to Schedule an Appointment
Make an appointment today with your highly trained and reputable professionals at Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating. Call us today to schedule your spring HVAC maintenance tune-up at 480-968-5652. We’re your experienced Valley of the Sun HVAC technicians!
