Air conditioning units make many parts of the country livable. As proof of how much people in the United States like their cool air, at least two thirds of all American households rely on air conditioners to keep themselves and their families cool and comfortable. The problem comes when people need to have air conditioner repairs done. This always seems to happen on the hottest day of the year and when you wait to need work done, you may find most of the air conditioning services companies and contractors are too busy to get to your home right away.

Luckily, there are some things you can do yourself to prevent the need to call in specialists in air conditioning repair to come to your home. Ris Media took a look at things homeowners can do to maintain their air conditioners all summer. These are some of the recommendations they have to keep an air conditioning unit running well all summer:

1. Do not wait until the heat arrives to check your air conditioning system. A lot can happen to an air conditioning system when it is not being used. You do not want to wait until the area where you live is really hot to find out if your air conditioning system works or if it does not. About four weeks before your area gets hot, turn on your system and let it run for at least a half an hour. If you have problems, you can have your air conditioning repairs done before you really need your system to work.
2. Make sure there is no debris around your air conditioning unit. One of the easiest ways to avoid needing air conditioning repairs is to make sure there is enough space around your unit to allow enough air to get to the system. When branches, leaves and other debris get into your system, they make it work harder and may cause them to break down.
3. Check the air filters. One problem that many people have is that they do not clean out the air filters for their heating, air conditioning and ventilating system (HVAC). When they are allowed to become clogged with dirt, dust and other debris, they force the system to work harder. That means it is less effective and efficient at heating and cooling the home. The added work that the system needs to do can cause it to break down. Clogged air filters can also be a real safety problem as they can catch fire. It is far cheaper to replace the air filters than to replace your system or deal with the consequences of a house fire.
4. Be careful with where you place your thermostat. You do not want your thermostat near any heat producing appliances. That means you do not want it to be placed too close to your kitchen but you also do not want it under a lamp that may make it think your home is hotter than it actually is. This is another way you end up making your HVAC system work harder than it should. This will cost you in higher energy bills and cause you to need expensive air conditioning repairs. You can increase your savings even more if you go ahead and get a thermostat that can be programmed. Then you can heat or cool your home only when people are actually there. Many systems can be checked remotely so you can change your settings when you are at work or on vacation.
5. Keep your eye on your condenser fins. These can become bent. The good news is that this is an easy problem to fix. You can get a fin comb at just about any hardware or home improvement store. You need to take care and make sure the power to your air conditioning system has been shut off before you attempt this air conditioning repair on your own.

In much of the country, life could be very uncomfortable without a working air conditioning unit. Following these tips can help you make sure your system will keep your home comfortable and cool all summer long.

andnbsp;

andnbsp;