How a Home Warranty Helps Prep your AC for Summer

As the summer months approach and temperatures start to heat up, many homeowners get their air conditioners up and running. Homeowners in Arizona, Utah, Texas and Nevada know the summer heat all too well, and dread having their air conditioner break down. Luckily, preparation is key when it comes to preventing an air conditioner fail. Here are the ways you can make sure your home is cool this summer by preparing your air conditioner now.

Download a free copy of this infographic for yourself! Click Here!

Change the Air Filter

Air in Nevada, Arizona and Texas has a lot of dirt and dust particles. Most homeowners aren’t interested in having this dirt and dust blown throughout their home, or breathing it in. That’s why air conditioning units have an air filter. The unit takes air from the outside, pushes it through the air filter, getting rid of dirt and dust, cools the home. This dirt and dust becomes trapped in the air filters, and the longer the filters stay in your HVAC unit, the dirtier they become, and the harder your air conditioner has to work to push cool air through your home.

Make sure your filters are clean by changing them out at least once a month! By leaving dirty air filters within a HVAC unit, you may shorten your air conditioner’s lifespan and increase your energy bills.

Clean Around the Outdoor Condensing Unit

Dead leaves, sticks and dirt can build up around your outdoor condensing unit during the winter months. Condensing units house an air conditioning compressor, which runs very hot. That is why there is a large fan at the top of the unit which takes in outside air through the unit’s filtered walls to cool it. If the walls of the condensing unit are blocked by outside debris, it makes it hard for the fan to take in that outside air, which can potentially cause your compressor to overheat and fail.

Make sure there is at least a three-foot area around your unit that is clear from bushes, weeds, leaves and more. You can also clean the outside of the condensing unit with a damp cloth or water hose.

Ensure the Drain Line is Not Clogged

An air conditioner’s drain line becomes clogged when the unit has run too long without an air filter or with a dirty air filter. A build up of dirt clogs the drain line, which can have disastrous results. The water that should normally go through the drain line, has to go somewhere, so it will usually go into the drain pan, which can overflow and cause water damage to the home. it will usually go into the drain pan, which can overflow and cause water damage to the home.

You can tell your drain line is clogged if you notice leaking, a muggy feeling in your home or if your unit won’t turn on. You can unclog a drain line by using a wetvac to unclog it, or getting an A/C tune-up.

Get an A/C Tune-Up

Unless you’re a HVAC contractor, it’s a good idea to have an outside source look at your unit and make sure it’s ready to go for the summer months. Many contractors offer specials on A/C tune-ups. Energy Star detailed what should be covered in these inspections:

A contractor will clean the condenser coils.
They will check and calibrate the thermostat, and change the batteries in the unit if the homeowner hasn’t done so already.
The contractor will make sure the blower components are adjusted properly.
The contractor will check the refrigerate level of the unit.
They will check the drain line for clogs.
They will also clean and tighten all of the electrical components within the unit. Sometimes a homeowner will try and start up the air conditioning unit, and a spider will have built a web in between the conductors in the winter, so the unit won’t start.

Getting an A/C tune-up can save you money and make sure your unit is ready for summer.

How does a Home Warranty Help?

Now, the headline of this article says that a home warranty can help with getting your air conditioner prepared for summer. You may be wondering how preparing air conditioners and home warranties have anything to do with each other. If you have a home warranty on your home, you can get an A/C tune-up on your unit for a $60 service call fee. According to Angie’s list, a tune-up can cost up to $100. Another great part of protecting your air conditioner with a home warranty is when the unit fails from normal wear and tear, you only pay $60 to get it repaired or replaced.

Protecting your home in Arizona, Texas, Nevada or Utah with a home warranty can save you thousands of dollars, and make sure you’re prepared for the summer’s heat. For more information about home warranties, go to www.LandmarkHW.com.

The drain pipe picture in the infographic can be found at: http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/HVAC-Condensate-Drain-Pipe-Cleaning-Guide/AC-Condensate-Drain-Pipe-Cleaning-Guide-002.html