As spring approaches, the weather will begin to change in the greater Sacramento, CA area. For one, it will get quite a bit warmer, which means you’ll probably start to rely much more on your household air conditioner. Plus, pollen will soon fill the air, causing lots of discomfort for anyone in your home suffering from allergies. If you want the upcoming spring and summer to be as pleasant as possible, you should take a few measures to ensure that your HVAC system is prepared for the changing seasons. If you’re proactive right now, you can save yourself money and avoid discomfort for the next several months.
1. Replace Your AC Filter
Since you’ll be running your cooling system more often as the spring progresses, it’s important that the appliance is functioning smoothly and efficiently. One way to help ensure that is to replace its air filter with a clean one. As the AC unit cycles, its filter has the job of catching airborne contaminants that attempt to pass through. But when the air filter eventually becomes dirty, it not only loses its ability to trap contaminants, but it also restricts the appliance’s airflow. As a result, the air conditioner will struggle to do its job and lose its energy efficiency, negatively impacting your comfort and finances throughout the spring and summer.
Another reason that replacing the air filter is important is the amount of pollen in the air. If you or anyone in your family has allergies, you’ll really need your AC filter to consistently catch pollen during the spring. If the air filter is clogged, though, it will stop trapping the pollen, which will allow significantly more of it to be circulated into the air you breathe. So, you should switch out your AC filter at the beginning of spring and once every month or two until the end of the summer.
2. Schedule an AC Tune-Up
If you want your air conditioner to remain effective, efficient, and healthy, scheduling yearly maintenance is incredibly important. At Huft Home Services, our technicians offer comprehensive AC tune-ups for residents of the greater Sacramento area. During this service, we’ll take measures to restore your cooling system to peak performance. For example, our team will clean all of the contaminants that have accumulated on and around the appliance. This will not only allow your air conditioner to circulate air more smoothly and efficiently, but it will also improve your indoor air quality throughout the spring and summer.
During an AC tune-up, our technicians will also closely inspect your cooling unit and all of its integral components. If any parts need to be adjusted, repaired, or replaced, they’ll be able to take care of it before the hot weather arrives. Additionally, our team will check for any warning signs of current or upcoming mechanical issues. When you have this service done before spring, it greatly reduces the odds of a system malfunction or breakdown during the warmest months of the year. Plus, it helps guarantee that your home stays comfortable and your monthly cooling bills remain affordable.
3. Seal Any Household Air Leaks
As it warms up, it’ll be important to locate and seal any air leaks that exist around your household. Even the smallest openings around your doors and windows can make things much harder on your air conditioner throughout the spring and summer. When your AC unit is circulating cool air, leaks allow large amounts of that conditioned air to escape your home. As a result, the appliance needs to run for significantly longer and expend much more energy to effectively cool your living space. So, if there are multiple leaks in your household, it will negatively affect your comfort and finances for the next several months. Additionally, the extra strain on the air conditioner will increase the likelihood of a serious equipment problem.
Sometimes, air leaks in your home will be so small that they’re difficult to find. One good technique is to slowly feel around the edges of windows and doorways with your hand. If you feel air flowing in certain areas, you’ve probably found a leak. Using weather stripping and caulking from the hardware store, you should be able to tightly seal any air leaks that you encounter.
4. Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned
Keeping your household air ducts clean will be important for the health of your HVAC system during spring. Over time, many contaminants accumulate inside your ductwork, including pollen, dust, mold spores, and pest droppings. And since you’ll be running your air conditioner more often, it will frequently need to push air through the ducts. If the air ducts are obstructed by contaminants, however, the appliance will need to significantly increase its air pressure to effectively do its job. This can cause several frustrating problems for your household during the spring and carrying into the summer. For one, if your AC unit can’t consistently circulate air, you will end up with uneven temperatures around your dwelling. Additionally, the health and efficiency of your air conditioner will decline, potentially costing you quite a bit of extra money. Finally, many of the contaminants inside your ducts will get picked up by the air your HVAC unit circulates, which will worsen your indoor air quality.
For these reasons, it’s important to have your air ducts professionally cleaned at least once every two or three years. And if it has been a long time since the last time you scheduled the service, it would be prudent to get it done before the warm weather of the spring and summer arrive in Sacramento.
5. Clean Your Home
You may not realize it, but thoroughly cleaning your home can help your HVAC system remain healthy and energy-efficient throughout the spring. Over time, dust, dirt, and other contaminants inevitably accumulate all around your living space. This only becomes a real problem if you don’t periodically clean. If those contaminants are allowed to linger, many of them will end up being cycled into your HVAC unit and the air you and your family breathe. And the more pollutants get pulled into your HVAC system, the worse its overall performance will become. And when you start relying on your air conditioner, it will struggle to do its job efficiently. Plus, your indoor air will be filled with dust mites, pollen, and other contaminants.
Before the weather warms up, make a point to clean your entire home. This should include wiping down surfaces with a damp rag, vacuuming carpets, and taking rugs and mats outside to shake the dust and debris from them. Ideally, you should repeat this process at least once a month throughout the spring and summer to keep your HVAC system in tip-top shape.
At Huft Home Services, we’ve been a staple in the Sacramento community since 2004. Whether you need dependable heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, or electrical services, our expert technicians will be ready to assist you. We’re a member of the ACCA, and all of our technicians are NATE-certified. Give us a call at Huft Home Services today to schedule an appointment!
