It is can be very inconvenient to return home to an air conditioning system which is blowing heated air instead of cooling the home during the hotter months of the year. Sacramento homeowners can take several measures to avoid the costs and inconveniences associated with such a malfunction. This article discusses some of those preventive measures.
Your HVAC System & Landscaping
One of the most common reasons why an AC may fail to cool a home is the lack of the recommended clearance around the outdoor unit. Flowers and shrubs can overgrow and block the flow of air around that external unit of the AC. Debris, such as litter from trees, can also constrict the flow of air around the unit.
This reduced airflow affects how easily the heated air from your home can be cooled before being recirculated through the ductwork. Avoid this problem by trimming any shrubs or flowers which reduce the clearance around the unit. Clean the yard frequently so that debris isn’t allowed to accumulate close to the external unit of your air conditioner. The prolonged accumulation of debris around the outdoor unit can result in high HVAC repair Sacramento bills.
Check the Filter Frequently
The air filter of your AC system can also have an adverse effect on how well the system can cool the home when the weather is hot. Clogged filters prevent air from flowing freely through the system. Consequently, the rate at which the AC cools your home will be compromised.
Different models of filters come with different recommendations about the interval of cleaning or replacing them. However, those recommended filter change or cleaning intervals can be affected by the specific conditions in your home. For example, the filter in a home with several pets may clog faster than a home without pets that shed dander.
It is therefore a good habit to set a reminder so that you can check the filter on a monthly basis. Remove that filter in accordance with the procedure stipulated in the user manual of the AC unit. Hold it against the light and clean or replace it in case you cannot see light filtering through it. This method will ensure that you can always intervene before a dirty filter causes the AC to blow heated air through your home.
Enclose the Units
The system can blow heated/warm air in case something affects a section of the electrical wiring within the indoor or outdoor unit of the air conditioner. This is particularly possible in case you have young children or pets which damage any exposed wiring.
You can protect your kids and pets from being shocked by electricity and also protect the AC from damage by enclosing the indoor and outdoor units in a protective cage or wall. This will keep curious kids and pets from the electrical wires of those components.
Use a Programmable Thermostat
Warm air coming from your AC can also circulate in your home in case some components of your HVAC system, such as the condenser, wear out due to working excessively when you set the thermostat low during the hot months of the year. The AC will keep cycling on and off frequently in a bid to maintain the desired temperature. Over time, some components will wear out and unfortunately fail.
You can avert such premature failure by installing a programmable thermostat. Set that device to change the temperature setting depending on the hours when you are away or within the home. For example, the thermostat can automatically raise its temperature setting during the hours when you are at work. The settings can then change shortly before you get back home in the evening. Our technicians always have the latest technology available to install.
Using a programmable thermostat will reduce how much work the different AC components have to do. Consequently, they will last longer and you will reduce the chance that your home will be warm yet the AC is running. Heating and air conditioning professionals in Sacramento can help during the installation of the new thermostat.
Clean Inside Your Home
The dust and other contaminants inside your home can clog the filter and ducts of your air conditioning system. Those clogs affect how freely conditioned air can flow into the different rooms of the home. Regular vacuuming and dusting can remove that dust before it takes a toll on the AC system and affects how well the home is cooled during the summer.
Keeping your home dust and dander free will go a long way towards averting many of the reasons why an air conditioning system blows warm air when it is expected to cool the home. However, the steps above are no guarantee that the system will not have any defects over time. Call an air conditioning repair technician in Sacramento and let that experts at Fox Family Heating and Air inspect and fix any issue which could have compromised the effectiveness of the AC.
Fox Family Heating & Air serves Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, and all of Northern California. If you’re looking to schedule HVAC service in these areas, give us a call!