How Spring Cleaning Your HVAC System Can Help You Survive the Summer

It's that time of year again where you are probably getting ready to start your spring cleaning. You'll most likely clean out your closet, change winter clothes for summer, then head for the kitchen and bathrooms.

You'll inevitably make it to your biggest battleground, the living room. Moving all the furniture and cleaning off the winter dust, you'll realize just how much dust you've been living with. To help reduce the dust in your home and improve your indoor air quality, you'll also want to do some spring cleaning for your HVAC system. Spring cleaning your HVAC system will also ensure that it keeps running strong through the heat of summer.

Declutter Your Home - While you're in the process of your spring cleaning, take time to declutter and get rid of items you no longer need. Decluttering and dusting will increase the efficiency of your HVAC while improving your indoor air quality.

Replace the Air Filter - Replacing your HVAC system's air filter is a given for any homeowner and should be done every 30 to 90 days, depending on the type of filter you install. 

Clear Plants and Weeds - To maximize airflow for your exterior unit, make sure there are at least 2 feet of cleared space around it. This will also help to keep dirt and particles out of the exterior unit. Also, this is something you will probably need to keep up throughout the spring and summer season.

Schedule Spring Maintenance - It's also recommended that you have a professional come out and do some preventative maintenance to make sure your HVAC system is ready for the summer months. You don't want to end up having to make an emergency call in the middle of summer if your system goes out.

Here are a few things that go on during a spring maintenance appointment.

• Outside HVAC Unit
  • Check refrigerant level; If it's low, a leak check will need to be done before refilling the system.
  • Make sure that the outdoor compressor and fan motor are operating correctly.
• Inside HVAC Unit
  • Check the cleanliness of coils and clean if necessary.
  • Check electrical connections
  • Check operation and cleanliness of the air handler.