A dirty A/C condenser can make the difference between a cool house and a not so cool one.
Summer is finally here and so is the heat and humidity. Central air conditioning systems across Western New York are working over time!
To keep your central air working at peak efficiency, you will want to perform some basic and simple maintenance.
As a leading home inspection company in Buffalo and all of Western New York, we often see neglected systems where just a little maintenance can go a long way.
Here are a few pointers that you can follow to maintain your air conditioning system.
- Make sure the power to the central air compressor/condenser unit is turned off (that is the big thing outside).
- Clear any tall grass, weeds, vines or other vegetation away from the condenser unit.
- Use a soft bristle brush to clean the coils around the exterior of the condenser. Be careful not to damage the fins, they are very thin pieces of aluminum and will bend easily.
- Use a shop vac to vacuum around the fins.
- DO NOT spray the fins with your garden hose. Fine silt and dust could become caked between the fins and prevent air movement.
- Check the condenser to be sure it is level, make corrections as necessary. However, take extreme care to not move the condenser to such an extent that the pipe connections are compromised.
- Check the copper refrigerant line leading from the condenser to the interior of the home. Make sure the insulation is intact and protecting the pipe against heat gain.
- If you observe ice build up or oil about the pipe connections at the base of the condenser, call a service technician. Your system is losing coolant and will stop working in the near future.
- Do not attempt to re-charge the system with coolant yourself; only a qualified contractor should perform this task.
Lastly, change your air filters once a month and have a heating/cooling contractor perform an in-depth assessment and cleaning of your system at least once a year.
As experienced, professional home inspectors for over 20 years, we have found that a little maintenance with just about every system in your home can go a long way in extending the life of a building component. These few pointers will only take a few minutes out of your summer but may extend the life of your system by years.
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Lawrence Watkins is a NYS Licensed Home Inspector and the President of Specsure Property Inspections. As a leading full service residential home inspection and commercial property inspection company proudly serving Buffalo, Lewiston, Orchard Park and all of Western New York (WNY) for over 20 years, we are pleased to provide timely and simple DIY tips and hints for today’s homeowner.
For more information you can reach us at 716-881-1914 or via email at info@specsure.com.