Blogs from June, 2020

With summer almost in full swing, it’s time to get your air conditioner ready to face the heat again. If you live in a warmer climate, there is a good chance that your AC unit has gotten steady use year-round. If you live in a colder part of the country, your AC system may have been lying dormant for months, just collecting dust. Either way, however, it’s a good idea to perform some basic maintenance tasks, so your air conditioner is prepared for the extended amount of time you are likely to spend using it over the next few months. Keep reading for our top steps for summer AC maintenance, and remember to call our experienced HVAC technicians at Moe Plumbing Services for all your air conditioning installation and repair needs.

The Top 7 AC Maintenance Tips for This Summer:

1. Remove Dust & Debris From Condenser Coils & Evaporator Units: During months of disuse, dirt and dust can accumulate on your AC’s condenser coil. Outside, your evaporator unit may start to collect debris. You should find these mechanisms and lightly scrub them with water before the summer heat sets in, or call a technician to inspect and clean your coil and evaporator unit for you.
2. Look at Outdoor Fan Motor: If you have an outdoor AC unit, the fan motor pulls air through the system’s coil and fins. If that fan is blocked or stops working, your AC’s blower assembly will not be able to distribute the air you need throughout your house. Much like your evaporator unit, your fan motor may accumulate debris during the off-season, so it is important to take a look at it and make sure it is in good shape at the beginning of the summer. If there’s anything wrong with the fan motor, call a technician right away.
3. Check Refrigerant Levels: If your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, the compressor may overwork itself trying to compensate. Chances are there is a leak if this is happening in your home, which will likely cause your AC bills to go up while overall cooling power goes down. To complicate things even further, with the recent restrictions on Freon, you may also need to switch to a different kind of refrigerant. Take a look at your AC’s refrigerant tubing this summer, and call Moe right away if you find a leak.
4. Clean Drains & Drain Pans: Your air conditioner’s drains connect to a drain pan that removes moisture so all the mechanical parts inside your unit can function without excess condensation getting in the way. If your drains become blocked, you could end up dealing with a serious problem, so call an HVAC tech to clean your drains, or check them yourself to ensure they are not blocked this summer.
5. Inspect Electrical Components: Like any electrical device, your air conditioner is susceptible to wear and tear over time. To the untrained eye, the inside of an AC unit may look like a mass of complicated wires and connections, so it is a good idea to check its electrical components and then call a technician to make necessary repairs and replacements if you suspect a problem.
6. Replace Air Filters: Air filter replacement is one of the most crucial aspects of AC maintenance, yet many homeowners forget about it. If your air filters are clogged, your air conditioner’s performance will decrease significantly, forcing your system to work harder. This means you end up spending more money for less relief. And on top of that, dirty air filters are also bad for general indoor air quality. Check your air filters at the beginning of the summer season, and replace them if they are dirty (you should be able to purchase a new filter online or at any home improvement store.) You can also call our AC techs to replace your filter for you.
7. Run a Diagnostics Test: After you have performed all the AC maintenance steps above, it is a good idea to give your AC unit a test run to ensure everything is working properly. If you are getting the cooling power you need and nothing seems off, you should be ready to enjoy the rest of the summer without worrying about nasty heatwaves. If however, you have performed basic AC maintenance and your AC is still not providing enough cooling power, or making strange noises, or emitting an odd smell, you will want to call our technicians at Moe Plumbing Services to get to the root of the problem.

Moe Plumbing Services is available by phone at (818) 396-8002. Call now for information about financing options and coupons, or request an estimate online.