Getting ready for spring often means planting and sprucing up the yard, but it also means getting ready for air conditioning season.  When it comes to spring HVAC maintenance, there are some things you can do and some you’ll probably want to leave to the professionals.

Here are the things you can (and should!) do:

Change the air filters, and make sure the vents are not blocked.

Clean the area around the outside unit. Trim overgrown grass, bushes or trees, to give the unit at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides.

With a garden hose, rinse the outside unit, cleaning dirt that built-up over the winter on the fan blades and fins. For detailed instructions, and precautions regarding coil cleaning products, see our video “The Low-Down on Coil Cleaning.”

With all the rain Nashville has gotten lately, you’ll want to make sure the ground and concrete pad the unit is sitting on hasn’t shifted, and that it is level. Check our video “How Rain & Flooding Affects Your HVAC System” for more.

Blow out the condensate drain and clean the pan.  For step-by-step instructions, see our video “Clean Condensate Lines to Prevent Mold.”

Verify your thermostat is set correctly. Set the date and time, set programming functions for summer operation, and be sure to switch the mode to “Cool” and the fan to “Auto.”

Reverse the settings on any ceiling fans so that the blades are whisking the air upwards. Check out our video post “Are you a ‘Fan’ of Changing Seasons?”

Check basements and crawlspaces to ensure they are not trapping moisture which can feed extra humidity into your air ducts.  Nashville’s summers are humid enough!

Some of the most vital spring maintenance tasks will need to be performed by a licensed HVAC technician.  These include:

  • Measuring the refrigerant level, adding refrigerant if needed, and checking for refrigerant leaks.
  • Inspecting all the electrical connections, motors, and safety controls.
  • Lubricating all the moving parts, especially the fan motor.
  • Inspecting and replacing belts as needed.
  • Checking the supply and return temperatures.
  • Cleaning the condenser coils and the condensate drain.

Never forget, the purpose of doing spring maintenance is to avoid breakdowns and expensive repairs, to keep your system running at peak efficiency, and to prolong its life!  The time and effort you put into it now, including having an HVAC spring maintenance check, will pay off down the road.

If you live in the Nashville area and need a maintenance check, call on Interstate AC Service, at 615-832-8500.

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