We have all experienced it. At some point in time, your Air Conditioning system is leaking water onto your ceiling or floor, or it just stops working. Maybe you get your Progress Energy bill and your jaw drops because it is more expensive than you thought it would be. How did you let this happen? It’s easy, we all do it!

Our air conditioning system is responsible for 40% of our energy usage, but is one of the most forgotten appliances in our home. We turn it on and turn it off but don’t ever think about it until it fails us. Here are a few things you can do on your own to prevent failure or emergency service from happening:

Change Your Filter on a Regular Basis

If your filter is not changed regularly and becomes clogged, it will reduce the airflow and will cause the air to slow down past the coil which causes your system to freeze up. Your filter keeps some airborne contaminates from re-circulating through your air stream but most importantly it protects your air conditioner. It catches pet hair, some dust, dirt and other large airborne items from clogging up your coils.

When the filter is excessively dirty the system is forced to pull air from wherever it can, and will pull air from your drain line. When this happens the water cannot drain at all, and overflows from the pan into your home. Depending on where your air handler is, this could be disastrous! (If your system has an emergency float switch it will simply shut you’re your entire system, causing no cooling at all.)

There are better filters available to you that reduce the air borne contaminates by 99%. The higher the MERV rating the more contaminates it will catch. And when your system can breathe easily, it won’t have to stay on as long and you won’t use as much electricity.

Get Your System Maintained Regularly

You wouldn’t drive your car if you haven’t had the oil changed for 2 years would you? Bi annual maintenance from a reputable company ensures that through the hottest and coldest months of the seasons your A/C system will have less incidents of breakdown and run more efficiently.

Think of it as comfort system peace of mind. During routine tune ups, all electrical connections are double checked to ensure efficiency, all coils are checked for buildup and all major working parts are inspected for dependability. The levels of refrigerant are measured and topped off. Fan blades and blower wheels are checked and balanced to prevent future motor failure and noise issues.

Having a professional inspect your Air Conditioning system every 6 months is key to enjoying comfort indoors year round in our balmy and unpredictable climate. Having a licensed and reputable Air Conditioning Company such as One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Clearwater take care of your home’s comfort system will give you peace of mind in extreme weather. It’s always the little things that cause the biggest problems and our technicians can teach you how to look out for those little things. Your comfort is something that you can control if you know what you’re doing, hopefully these tips will help you. If you are ever in doubt, let our experts take care of you!