As old man winter starts nipping at your nose, it’s time to get your AC unit ready for the cold. Winter can bring different challenges than fall, so it’s important to take these few steps to ensure your AC unit will do well when the spring warms things up. Here’s what to do:
How to Transition Your AC From Fall to Winter
- Get end-of-season maintenance performed if it hasn’t already been done. If it has been done, that’s great, but don’t put it off altogether, or you may discover during the first hot days of spring that you need a part that must be ordered or a time-consuming system replacement.
- Clean the coils. This is as simple as using the brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner, and removing the dirt and debris helps your system run much more efficiently, saving energy and making your system last longer.
- Replace dirty air filters. If you’ve already done this for the season and not restarted the system, it’s okay to wait to check it again in the spring. A blower dealing with a dirty filter has to work harder to do the same work, wasting energy and wearing your system out faster.
- Clean the drain line. If the drain line backs up because of dust, dirt or debris, it can cause the condenser lines to freeze up when you need it most, making your system run ineffectively.
- Cover it — the right way. In Florida, you don’t need to put a full cover on your air conditioner, especially since trapped moisture can cause corrosion on the interior. To keep leaves, small branches and other debris out, just place a piece of plywood on top of the unit.
- Consider replacement. When last year’s units need to go, this is the best time to take advantage of seasonal slowdowns and fantastic clearance prices.
By following these steps, your AC unit will be ready to use after a quick test next spring, making it easy to get back into operation when that sudden warm spell hits. If you have questions or need help with these steps, please feel free to contact us today. At Cox Air Conditioning and Heating, we’ve been serving the Tampa and Orlando area since 1958 and are proud to offer you that same exceptional service that’s made us so popular with our customers.
