5 Springtime Tips for Texans with an Old Air Conditioning Unit

For Beaumont residents, spring cleaning means more than just tidying the inside of your home. It’s also the ideal time to have maintenance done on your air conditioner, especially if you have an older AC unit. Giving your AC a thorough spring tune-up helps prevent air conditioning emergencies in the heat of summer when cool air matters most. As the HVAC experts at the U.S. Department of Energy note, proper maintenance also ensures your system will also last longer and keep utility bills lower.

Change Filters

One of the most important maintenance tasks you can do for an older AC is also one of the easiest. Clean filters are important for indoor air quality, but they also affect how well your system cools. Central air conditioning units rely on recirculated air to keep temperatures comfortable. When that recycled air is cleaner, your system’s coils also stay cleaner, allowing more efficient cooling. As temperatures soar in July and August, every degree counts, so change filters at least every other month.

Clean Indoor Coils

You might think of your air conditioner as adding cool air, but it’s more scientifically accurate to describe it as subtracting hot air from your home. The interior set of coils in the unit, also called evaporator coils, are where warm air sheds its excess heat. Heat transfers more efficiently when the blower sends air over clean coils. Over time, dust and condensation cause soil to build up on the surface of your AC’s coils, and this layer of grime acts as insulation. The air can no longer drop off its cargo of heat, so your system no longer cools your home as well. Cleaning your coils in the spring and fall is enough to improve your air conditioner’s efficiency noticeably.

Remember External Coils

Your exterior unit’s condenser coils are the other side of the heat transfer equation. When you take a look at your exterior unit, you’ll see a series of flat metal vanes or fins stacked together. Those aren’t just decorative; they’re where the heat from inside your home leaves it, and they need to be clean to function properly. Spring pollen, cut grass, leaves and other debris can collect on the outside of your AC and prevent it from getting rid of excess heat. Keep coils clean, check for damage to the metal vanes and trim vegetation that grows too close to your home’s external AC unit.

Check Your Ducts

Even when your older AC unit runs beautifully, you may be losing cool air from poorly insulated ducts. Just as heat transfer happens across evaporator coils, it can happen with exposed metal of ductwork that no longer has sufficient insulation. Insulation naturally compresses over time, and with older systems that have gone for years without a duct inspection, you may have less insulation than you think. If you notice hot and cold spots in your home, ducts that have lost their insulation are often the reason.

This year, have a trained AC technician give your older air conditioning system some spring maintenance, and you’ll be ready for summer’s hottest days. Call today to schedule an appointment – (409) 892-5152.