Air Conditioning Systems: Tips For New Homeowners

Without a working air conditioner, your home may become an unbearable place to be during a hot summer's day. Repairing a damaged or faulty air conditioner can be an expensive and inconvenient task, but many people are unaware of a few simple tips they can follow to make sure that their home avoids becoming uncomfortable due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system. A couple of tips can help your air conditioning system to avoid some of the more routine sources of damage and problems these units may experience. 

Keep The Air Conditioner's Drain Flowing

You may be unaware of the fact that your air conditioner has a drain. However, these systems will produce a tremendous amount of condensation, and this is especially true if your system is outfitted with a dehumidifier. Without this drain, the air conditioner's interior would become flooded, and the system will stop working. 

In order to avoid this outcome, you will need to regularly clean the exterior drain. Often, this is just a small pipe that comes out of the air conditioner. Over time, algae and dirt can start to block this pipe, which will put the air conditioning system at risk of flooding. By removing these substances from the pipe, you can ensure that the water will be able to easily drain out of the air conditioning system. 

Regularly Clean Your Air Conditioner's Exterior

Another routine source of problems for these systems is a blockage in the exterior vents of the unit. Without free flowing air, these systems will struggle to cool your home, and they may be more likely to overheat. Twigs, leaves and other outdoor debris are among the more common sources of these blockages because they can be pulled towards the unit when it is working, and they may become lodged into the small openings of the vent. 

Mitigating this routine problem will require you to regularly remove all of the largest pieces of debris from these vents before using a high-pressure hose to clean the exterior. The water will remove any dust or dirt that may also be inhibiting the air flow into the system. Ideally, you should do this type of maintenance on a monthly basis or whenever you notice this debris accumulating on the system.

Air conditioning systems are extremely complex, but without one, your home will become an uncomfortable place on a hot day. To help your system avoid some common sources of failure, you should use these two simple tips to ensure clogged air vents or drains do not cause major issues for your air conditioner. And if you find your air conditioner needs extensive repairs, you can contact a professional HVAC service like D & W Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. to come and look at your unit.


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