Buying a new home is exciting—but it also comes with its challenges. For people that have gone from renting a condo or apartment to owning their own homes, there’s often a steep learning curve when it comes to home maintenance tasks.
Often, new homeowners are intimidated by their heating and cooling systems and don’t really know where to start to get their AC ready for the summer season.
To help all new homeowners in the Ottawa area, we’ve compiled a number of tasks you’ll have to complete to get the air conditioner ready for the warm weather!
Visually Inspect the Outdoor Unit
There are two parts to an air conditioner, the indoor unit and outdoor unit (also called a condenser). Before using the air conditioner, you’ll want to take some time and ensure that the condenser didn’t sustain any damage and that it’s free of debris.
Keeping the area clean by raking up dead leaves and cutting back shrubs or bushes will help keep rodents away and make sure that there is proper air flow around the unit.
Change the Filter
Did you know that a forced-air furnace and air conditioner share the same air filter? They do and it’s important to regularly check and replace filters. A clogged filter can cause a number of problems and can compromise indoor air quality. Some filters only last a month, while others are rated for up to six months or even a year. Make sure you know how often you should be checking and replacing the filter.
Check The Power and Thermostat
Before you turn on the air conditioner, ensure the power is turned ON at the unit and that the thermostat is set to COOL. Sometimes we come to homes for a repair call—only to discover that the thermostat settings are incorrect or there’s no power to the system.
Schedule Annual Maintenance
The most important task for new homeowners is to schedule an annual tune-up. Air conditioners require yearly inspection, cleaning and small adjustments to work efficiently, safely and reliably. A professional technician will be able to get your AC ready for summer and answer any questions you may have about any of your home comfort systems.
If you’re a new homeowner trying to get your AC ready for the summer season,
Contact Team Harding, we’re always happy to help!
Harding Heating & Air Conditioning has been Ottawa’s leading home comfort specialists since 1994. We are a family owned and operated local business and all of our installers and technicians are fully licensed.
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This article was originally published in April 2018. It has been updated for content and clarity.
