An AC is a must-have for those who live in warmer climates and have to face the wrath of the sun every summer. Without a well-functioning AC, you can forget about being comfortable during the hot summer days. However, an AC is a very complex machine that has a lot of moving parts and electrical components. All of these components of an AC are prone to failure due to normal use and if not fixed, they can drastically reduce the impact of your AC’s cooling. Even if there’s no major component failure, you have other issues like the never-ending dust issues, clogs, rattling, and abnormal sounds coming from the AC. All these issues can escalate fairly quickly into full-scale problems if you don’t fix them as soon as possible. Once these issues reach a certain level, you’ll have to get professional help, which costs a lot of money. Rather than being reckless before and taking the help of professional electricians, later on, you can instead try to avoid these problems altogether by doing regular maintenance.

For a beginner, even these minor fixes and maintenance procedures might seem to be a big ordeal, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. We’ll be looking at all the different ways that you can maintain and service your AC at regular intervals. These steps are beginner-friendly, and you shouldn’t have much problem completing them even if you haven’t touched a screwdriver before. So let’s get to it and find out the best ways to make sure that your air conditioning system is working at full capacity.

1. Clean the Condenser

An AC’s condenser – also known as a compressor in some parts of the world, is the most important component of the entire cooling process. The AC unit that you can see inside your house is meant to pass the cool air that’s generated by the condenser. However, this part gets ignored due to it being located outside in the open, away from all the attention that the main unit gets. These condensers are pretty complicated and cleaning them could be a huge chore, but if you don’t clean them and follow all the other tips, you won’t be able to see a huge difference in the cooling efficiency of your AC.

2. Unblock the Vents and Ducts

The vents are what deliver the cold air finally to your home, and you should try to make sure that they’re not choked or full of debris. If the vents are blocked, you won’t be able to feel the full effects of your AC’s cooling. Try and vacuum them once a week to dislodge any pet hair, human hair, dust, and other debris. Most people face a lot of issues because they clean everything else but forget to pay attention to their vent and their ducts, so with that, the professional air duct cleaning Dallas services say that a simple vacuuming of the ducts and vents once per week is best. Also, don’t forget to remove blockages other than dust and debris as well. There could be some piece of furniture or decoration covering your vents which would automatically reduce the indoor airflow. Removing all the obstructions will result in an AC that operates more efficiently than before.

3. Insulate It

The biggest enemy of your AC’s efficiency is being uninsulated, and this could result in efficiency losses that often boggle the people who are trying to detect the problem. You can fix everything else on this list, but you still wouldn’t see any gains if you don’t insulate the exposed ductwork. Poor or torn insulation can drastically decrease the ability of your AC to cool, along with its efficiency. In this scenario, it’s advisable that you call a professional for help as they’ll help fix any leaks, and then they’ll insulate the entire system. This issue might not be easily fixable at home, but it’s very easily diagnosed if you know what you’re looking for.

4. Use Blinds 

You won’t believe the effect that closing the window blinds can have on the overall efficiency of your AC. Usually, people try to insulate their homes by closing the doors and the windows so that the cold air stays inside. However, you don’t always need airflow to conduct heat, and shutting your windows while leaving them uncovered can still send in a lot of heat into your home. As soon as you pull the blinds, you’re bound to see the significant difference in your AC’s efficiency, and the best part is, it won’t even cost you any money.

5. Role of Thermostat 

The thermostat is a critical device that’s not properly understood by many AC users. It’s a nifty device that’s used for gauging the temperature in the room and then setting the AC to cool the room at the right temperature. For this reason, it’s always advised to keep your thermostat away from any kind of heat source. Many electricians won’t even install a thermostat in warm areas or near a window that receives direct sunlight. Mainly because the warm temperature can make the thermostat detect higher ambient temperatures than it actually is, and this could lead to unnecessary load on the AC unit.

These are some of the tips that everyone must know about their AC’s. Not only will these tips help you save money by optimizing your AC’s performance, but they’ll also help you in avoiding unnecessary problems caused due to poor maintenance. We covered all the critical areas of an AC that should be in top shape and discussed what you can do to remedy any issues that might arise. The condenser, vents, thermostat, and even ducts, can cause a lot of problems with the AC’s efficiency if you don’t pay attention to the problems. In order to get the maximum performance from your AC without compromising on efficiency, you’ll have to avoid these common pitfalls that most users fall into. Just try to remember these five crucial tips and keep looking for any issues related to them in your AC because chances are, you’ll detect any issues as soon as they happen.