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5 End-of-Summer Tips for Your Air Conditioner

Date: September 5, 2022

Simple maintenance steps you can do right now for your A/C

central air service massachusettsHave you been checking up on your home cooling equipment this summer? If you haven’t, we promise you’re not alone.

During the hottest months of the year, most of us are just concerned that our air conditioning system keeps us cool. But the summers in Boston and its surrounding towns can take a toll on HVAC systems. Left unattended, minor problems can lead to pricy equipment repairs and replacements. Now that temperatures are dropping, it’s a good time to give your A/C some much-needed attention.

Here are five easy end-of-summer air conditioning maintenance tips.

1. Clear out plants and debris from your condenser.

Twigs, ivy, grass clippings and trash from your last cookout — all this debris can cause problems by clogging your A/C’s condenser cabinet. These clogs lower system performance, increase wear and lead to breakdowns. At the end of the summer, you should clear away any yard debris that has infiltrated your condenser cabinet.

2. Change your air filters.

Ideally, you should check your air filters monthly during the cooling season. If you haven’t been keeping up with your filter checks this summer, they could be dirty and clogged by now. A clogged filter impedes airflow, making your A/C work harder and costing you money.

Clogged filters also negatively impact your indoor air quality since dust, mold, debris and other pollutants end up circulating into your living space. Cleaning or replacing your filters doesn’t take long — but it makes a world of difference for your home and family.

3. Raise your thermostat temperature.

By this point in the year, you might have become accustomed to living in a home where the A/C is always running. It can be challenging to notice that the weather outside has started to cool off. In these situations, many Boston-area homeowners mistakenly believe the outdoor air is hotter than it is. They end up running their A/C longer than necessary and spending much more on energy bills.

Take a moment to set your home’s thermostat to 78°F (or thereabouts), which the U.S. Department of Energy says is the ideal temperature to balance comfort and energy efficiency.

4.Clean evaporator coils and condensate lines.

If you run your A/C at full blast all summer, its condensate lines and evaporator coils will eventually become clogged with mold, dust or dirt. These problems usually occur in the outdoor unit and require a hose to clean. If you aren’t comfortable doing the cleaning yourself, call the HVAC experts at Cubby Oil & Energy for a complete inspection & cleaning.

5. Schedule an end-of-season tune-up.

Just like with your heating equipment, your air conditioning system benefits from annual maintenance. If you bring in a Cubby service technician, we can clean your system, check for loose, worn or broken parts and ensure that your A/C is ready to go when next summer rolls around.

The moderate cost of a cooling system tune-up is negligible compared to the repairs you avoid and the years added to the lifespan of your equipment.

Contact our office today to set up an end-of-summer service appointment.

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