Winter is over and spring is in the air. Most folks start thinking and planning what is needed to do for spring cleaning. We get asked what can we do about our AC and does it need anything to help it get through a long hot and humid summer?
The answer is YES. You can do several simple things that will be a big help and a few things you need a licensed professional to perform for you.
First the simple things you can do:
- Be sure to clean or replace your return air filters every month. These filters are located in the ceiling or wall of your hallway usually. Sometimes they are located in the indoor unit.
- Clean the leaves, weeds, bushes, and any other debris from around the outdoor AC unit. It doesn't hurt to spray water on the coils to remove any dirt that may have accumulated there.
- If you own a wet/dry shop vacuum, find the one or two white (PVC) plastic pipes that are probably located by the outdoor unit and put the hose on the pipes to clear any clogs that may be in the pipes. This will allow the condensate to drain freely and not back up in your attic where it can cause massive water damage if not attended to.
- If you have dogs, it is a good idea to put up a wire fence several feet away from the unit to protect it from your dogs chewing on wires or spraying it. Dog urine will ruin the outdoor unit coils very quickly and can cause refrigerant leaks and loss of heat transfer
- Be sure your supply air registers are open in all your rooms to allow the cool air to circulate. Closing them can create pressure issues within your home and uneven temperatures.
A licensed professional is needed to check the refrigerant charge and adjust it if needed, inspect the wiring in both the indoor and outdoor units and service disconnect boxes, inspect the various components such as the compressor, contactor, the start and run capacitors, the amp draw of the compressor and fan motors, and your duct work for leakage and static pressure.
Our company can perform all these tasks during our precision tune-up and offer you energy saving tips to save you money.
Be sure to put us on your spring to do list and then enjoy a worry-free summer from costly and inconvenient AC breakdowns.
Every year, it's the same range of emotions — dismay at losing an hour of sleep on the weekend, then joy once you realize you'll be seeing daylight more and more often. Yes, daylight saving time (known more colloquially as daylight savings time) is almost upon us and after this rough winter, it will be both appreciated and anticipated.
Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend, and All Seasons Heating and Cooling urges everyone to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they spring forward.
The time change will take place at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 10, 2013.
Don't worry if the battery may have "a little juice left" in it. Just remember that battery is powering a device that may save your life or the life of someone you love. Batteries are cheap but lives are invaluable. Use the old batteries in a portable radio or a remote control if you wish, but put a fresh one in your smoke detector in carbon monoxide detectors.
Ninety percent (90%) of fire deaths involving children occur in homes without a workng smoke detector.
About two-thirds of our nation's fire deaths happen in the victim's own home. The home is where we are at the greatest risk and where we must take the most precautions. Most deaths occur from inhaling smoke or poisonous gases, not from the flames.
Since 1987, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and Energizer batteries have joined forces to raise awareness about the issue that non-working smoke alarms are often responsible for home fire deaths and injuries.
Now, thanks to the participation of residents all across America and the dedication of more than 6,000 Fire Departments, home fire deaths continue to be on the decline. Millions of families nationwide are hearing the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” message.
