Property Management 2.0 is pleased to welcome Beth C. as our guest blogger this week. Beth works with leading industry experts, writing articles about the home improvement and maintenance sector. Her article touches on something many landlords, property managers and owners seldom think about: preparing A/C units for the coming fall and winter months. Have a fantastic week, #Multifamily! _Trevor
Following a few simple, sensible steps is all it takes to make sure your air conditioning unit is ready for its cold season slumber.
Cooler weather means the AC gets a break – for at least six or seven months. After you turn off your unit for the last time for the hot weather season, make sure you prepare it for its long winter sleep. Proper and regular maintenance of your AC unit prolongs its life and also keeps it functioning as efficiently as possible. Property management experts are already aware that air conditioning repair services can be very costly; by following the simple steps below, you can stow away your AC unit and look forward to a comfortable cooling season a few months down the road.
Simple Maintenance Tips
Be sure to clean the filters of your air conditioning unit before the cold weather sets in. If you have filters that can only be replaced, do so at this time, or discard the old filter and replace it with a new one at the beginning of the next AC season. Leaving a dirty filter in the unit for many months may cause clogging later on, as dirt and grime can cling to the filter over time.
Clean your unit’s condenser coils thoroughly before the cold season. Just like the filters, leaving them dirty and unused over a number of months causes grime and dirt to settle and collect on the coils and fins. This will make your job more difficult later on when you have to clean the coils anyway to get your AC unit ready for the start of the cooling season.
Once you have cleaned the condenser coils, cover up the outdoor unit of your central air conditioning system securely. Regularly clear away any leaves and other small branches or debris that find their way to the top of unit. If you have a window-type AC, cover the exposed part to protect it against the elements and cold weather. If you can scare up the muscle, you can remove your room air conditioner and store it for the winter. If you do this, be sure to cover and secure the space once occupied by your unit.
It is generally good practice to have a professional air conditioning company regularly check your unit to ensure its safety and efficiency.