As a homeowner who has stayed with an air conditioner for a long time, you know that you need to undertake AC inspection regularly. You can inspect the unit on your own or hire an HVAC company to help out. Whichever way you go about it, you need to do it correctly. When checking the unit, you should pay attention to two prime areas: the indoor and outdoor units.
Inspecting the outdoor AC unit
Many homeowners forget giving attention to this unit as it’s located on the outside of the house—this shouldn’t be you. You should begin the inspection by turning off the air conditioner and removing any winter covers or condenser shields that might be there. If there are any leaves or debris in your vents, you should remove them.
Even if you regularly clean the condensers, it’s common for them to be dirty. To keep your air conditioner in excellent working condition, you should clean the air conditioner if you are confident in your skills. You should note that when improperly done, the AC unit can hurt you thus you should be very cautious.
While still outdoors, you should inspect the insulation of the pipes and replace the damaged ones. If you have to replace some of the pipes, you should avoid adding insulation to the smaller line as doing so can cause damage to the system. Finally, take a look at the concrete pad and ensure that its level. If it isn’t, or damaged, consider hiring a masonry contractor to fix it.
Inspecting the indoor unit
The indoor unit has many areas that you should pay attention to. One of the areas to consider is the filter. The air filter determines the air quality in the house. It also determines the efficiency of the air conditioner. You should remove it and if dirty, clean it. It’s common to find that the filter is too dirty or damaged. In such a scenario you should replace it. Other areas that you should pay attention to include: condensate reservoir, condensate lines, vacuum, supply and return vents, bathroom and ceiling fans.
Conclusion
These are tips on how to inspect the outdoor and indoor units of your air conditioner. You can check the unit on your own, but for ideal results, it’s always wise to hire HVAC contractors to help you out. The contractors are trained professionals thus they will most likely provide you with a better service.
